Ellis, Longtime Horse Racing Broadcaster, Dies at 94

Ercel Ellis Jr., a trainer, writer, clocker, and longtime horse racing radio broadcaster, died May 7 in Lexington. He was 94. Raised in Central Kentucky, Ellis grew up around Thoroughbred racing, with his father, Ercel Ellis Sr., managing famed Dixiana Farm from 1929-64. As a young man, he heard tales of the legendary Man o' War and other famous horses of the time. Those stories became the foundation for a career spent preserving and celebrating the sport's history. After serving in the United States Navy during the Korean War, Ellis briefly worked on the racetrack with trainer Jack Hodgins at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots in New Orleans before shifting careers. He dove into journalism and broadcasting, beginning a career that spanned more than six decades. Ellis sold advertising for BloodHorse in the late 1950s before taking over the nightly radio results program "Post Time," a role he kept for more than 50 years. Long before the internet and mainstream television coverage of horse racing on a daily basis, "Post Time" was a source of race results and information, particularly for fans and horsemen in the Bluegrass State. Ellis was renowned for his memory of pedigrees and race records, as well as for his delivery. He also worked for Daily Racing Form from 1968-83, managing the publication's Kentucky bureau and authoring a column for the publication. Dan Liebman, former editor in chief at BloodHorse, described Ellis as "one of a kind." In 1984, Liebman took Ellis' position at Daily Racing Form right after that year's Kentucky Derby (G1), sharing, "Ercel wanted to go through one more Derby." "When I got the job, Ercel was one I could always call, always count on," Liebman said. "He had so many awesome stories. There aren't that many people who really get to follow their dream and do what they want, but he was one of them. Every conversation I had with him was just wonderful. He was a down-to-earth guy. He was just a horse guy; there was nothing fancy about him. He was the coolest guy." Though best known for "Post Time," Ellis remained active well into his later years through "Horse Tales," a Saturday morning radio show he co-hosted with his wife, Jackie, that he did until January 2026. Broadcasting from Lexington, the program featured conversations with those involved in Thoroughbred racing and breeding. Ellis also trained and raced horses with Jackie on their small Bourbon County farm and spent years clocking horses at The Thoroughbred Center near Lexington. Friends and colleagues regarded him as an encyclopedia of racing lore, easily able to recall stories from generations past. Ellis leaves behind Jackie, whom he married May 7, 1982, exactly 44 years before his passing. "He loved what he was doing," Jackie said. "We always had lots of interesting guests with great stories. We did everything together, and we did it the same way. It was a great partnership. Everybody needs somebody like that. It makes a whole new world out of everything. I think a lot of people don't get that. It was just great. We had a lot of friends who loved him. It was a great life." Ellis is further survived by two children, as well as extended family and numerous friends. Funeral arrangements have been set for 11 a.m. ET May 18 at Milward Funeral in Lexington. Additional arrangement information will follow in the coming days and can be found here. In lieu of flowers, the family is requesting donations to be made to Old Friends Thoroughbred Retirement Home. Donations can be made here.