William Felter Allyn

In Loving Memory of William “Bill” Allyn

Born in 1943, Bill grew up on a dairy farm. His father, grandfather, and uncle were horse racing fans. They would go to Saratoga, the Massachusetts fairs, and even Bowie Race Track, occasionally. While at Penn State, Bill would sometimes travel to Delaware Park or the Old Liberty Bell (now Parx). After college graduation, Bill taught school in Philadelphia and spent the summers working at Liberty Bell and the old Golden State track in NJ. In his early 30s, he decided to pursue a career in the Thoroughbred industry.

After a couple false starts, he landed a position at Labadie Mill Farm in Chesapeake City, Maryland, working for renowned veterinarian Dr. William Wright and his wife, Lana duPont Wright. He started primarily as a maintenance worker, but Lana had him exercising fox hunters. In the mid-70s, the Wrights decided to bring their horse operation home and Bill worked breaking babies, foaling mares, driving the 6-horse van, and many other tasks.

Dr. Wright had retired from his veterinary practice and began training racehorses. Dr. Wright ran his racehorses without shoes and trained Bill how to trim horses. He used to say, “There is no such thing as corrective shoeing. There is corrective trimming and you put a shoe on to protect your work.” He then sent Bill to a master farrier who ran a farrier school to learn the basics of shaping a shoe and nailing it on.

After several years, the Wright’s moved away from racing and with the Wright’s blessing, Bill and his family (wife Thelma, daughter Elizabeth, and son Jarrod) moved to Saratoga, NY. In the mornings, Bill worked at the track and in the afternoons, he traveled the countryside shoeing riding horses. After acquiring an in-foal broodmare from the McMahons, Bill foaled out his first Thoroughbred (WinPlaceOrStarve) and took out his trainer’s license at age 42.

He never wanted more than a handful of horses. His first track job at Saratoga showed him very clearly what happens when the help doesn’t show up. He groomed, fed, rode, mucked, and did leg work by himself. Bill’s motto was “the day I can’t do it myself, I’ll stop doing it.”

After his wife passed away in 2008, Bill started going south in the winters, staying in Ocala and racing at Tampa Bay Downs and other years staying in the Carolinas. It was getting tougher and tougher to compete in NY and he decided to stay in Aiken. He started working as the track supervisor at the Aiken Training Track in 2020. Bill stayed active as a trainer until 2020.

Bill was most proud of surviving in the horse business for 35 years and always putting the horse first, whether that means being willing to work any time day or night to make the track safe or breaking a yearling with their second career in mind since racing is such a short career for a horse.

Bill is survived by his daughter Elizabeth, son Jarrod, brother Kent (wife Gail); and other family members, including his many nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by his wife, Thelma Allyn; parents, Leslie and Marjorie; and brother, John.

A memorial service is planned in Aiken, South Carolina for March 14, 2025. Please contact Elizabeth Allyn at lizandjerry@hotmail.com if you are planning on attending. Donations in Bill’s name can be made to Old Friends at Cabin Creek c/o Mark and JoAnn Pepper, 483 Sandhill Road, Greenfield Center, NY 12833.

SHELLHOUSE-RIVERS FUNERAL HOME, INC., 715 E. PINE LOG RD., AIKEN, SC 29803.