Welcome to the TDN Op Ed page, where a selected stable of writers will, from time to time, offer their opinion and perspective on matters concerning the racing industry. The viewpoints expressed herein are not necessarily those of the management, but promise to represent what we consider to be responsible comment.

Comments? Please respond to TDN management at suefinley@thoroughbreddailynews.com.

Edd Roggenkamp retired as General Manager of Dealer Operations for General Motors in 2001 and moved to a farm in Versailles, Kentucky order to have more years to hunt, fish and race horses "while still young enough and healthy enough to enjoy it." He now devotes most of his energy to raising, training and racing Thoroughbreds on the Kentucky, Indiana, and Ohio circuit. For 30 years, he raised and competed with field trial birddogs and is a past President of a National Field Trial Association.

• 10/9/2010 - HIGH HOPES FOR NEW OWNERS
  
  In recent years, all three of the foundation pillars that support our industry--bettors, racetracks, and owners, have been crumbling. Our old reliable bettors are aging, pulling back or are moving to other games. Our racetracks are under siege and many, even in big critical growth markets, are seemingly in danger of failure. And our racehorse owners have been reducing their stables, with some exiting our sport completely, or going on hiatus. — (click here to read the entire article)
  
  
• 8/4/2010 - WOULD A CENTRAL VISION FOR RACING BE SO BAD?
  
  Just imagine a National Football League where every state had slightly different rules, perhaps nine-yard first downs when you play in Illinois and 11-yard first downs for games in Ohio. Imagine the NCAA basketball tournament if each of the eight "sweet 16" games were played on randomly different dates because the four host arenas could not agree on a coordinated schedule. And what if we could not watch all of those games on nationwide TV, because each arena had negotiated its own unique TV contract? — (click here to read the entire article)
  
  

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