Westendorf, Thoroughbred owner and TV co-host, dies

Ed Westendorf, a Thoroughbred owner who co-hosted “The Regular Guy Handicapping Show” at River Downs, died November 5 at his home in Beavercreek, Ohio. He was 57.

Known as “Mr. Ed,” Westendorf was also a regular contributor to River Downs’s weekly radio show.

“If you didn’t know Ed by the beginning of the season, you’d know him by the end,” said John Englehardt, River Downs’s publicist. “He loved looking at the horses before making a wager and was at ease getting to know trainers and riders over the years.”

Westendorf worked as a certified public accountant with Westendorf, Mauch, Ross, and Westendorf in Dayton, Ohio.

“Everyone loved Ed,” Englehardt said. “He would bring these special pretzels in and drop off bags to the program sellers, switchboard, TV set, all over the place.

“After the races, he would go back and feed all of his horses carrots. He had a great sense of humor and a quick wit. His presence at the track will be sorely missed.”

Westendorf was introduced to trainer Jeff Greenhill by owner/breeder Lance Hickman, and soon joined them in several partnerships. He was part of an ownership group that campaigned stakes winner Ohio Smile and stakes-placed winner Annie’s Award.

Greenhill trains Allsarott, a ten-length debut winner of a maiden special weight race on November 5 at Thistledown who was co-owned by Westendorf.

“A first-time starter he had a part of won by ten lengths on Monday and I spoke to Ed right after the race,” Greenhill said. “He was ecstatic when I gave him the news.

“Ed loved all the horses in our barn and I sadly walked by the shedrow this morning telling them the ‘Carrot Man’ wouldn’t be back anymore.”

Westendorf graduated from the University of Dayton. He operated the shot clock at University of Dayton home basketball games for the previous 19 years, and will be honored with a moment of silence prior to the Flyers season-opener against East Tennessee State on Saturday.

Visitation will be on Thursday from 4 to 8 p.m. EST at Westbrock Funeral Home in Dayton, Ohio. A funeral mass will be celebrated at 10:30 a.m. Friday at St. Brigid Catholic Church in Xenia, Ohio.