Roger McDaniel was Kentucky-bred and raised, here Lexington - the heart of horse country. After receiving a Bachelor of Science degree in Chemical Engineering from the University of Kentucky he joined Monsanto Company of St. Louis. He became a Vice President of Monsanto’s electronic materials group. In 1989, he was named CEO of MEMC, Inc. He retired after taking MEMC public in the mid-90’s. Roger was Chairman of SEMI, an industry association of some 2,500 companies that serve the electronics industries worldwide. He also was CEO of Huls America and IPEC, Inc. Serving this industry both in the states and internationally, he has been a member of the board of over a dozen companies. He currently is a member of the board of Veeco Instruments, Inc.
He and his wife, Beth, entered into Thoroughbred racing via a partnership in California in 1994. They acquired Derby Lane Farm in Lexington, Kentucky in 2005. Mr. McDaniel currently breeds a small band of broodmares from which he races or sells at auction. The McDaniel’s made horse racing a family affair by including their grandchildren in the horses’ names like stakes-winner Julia’s Star and runners Benny Boy, Riki McD, Princess Nadia, Bad News Sophia and Ambidextrous Alex.
One very special horse, named for the doctor who treated Mrs. McDaniel, stricken with cutaneous lymphoma was the filly, DR. ZIC who raced under the Derby Lane colors and won stakes races including the Grade 1 Vinery Madison at Keeneland. Part of her earnings was donated to research at the Vanderbilt University School of Medicine. Beth lost her battle with cancer in November of 2011, however her legacy of strength, courage and a fierce love of thoroughbreds live on.
Roger and trainer Joan Scott teamed up in 2008 and have won four stakes together and developed six winning horses.
