A. Ferris Allen III This is Me

Education

 Web References

1. 1. The Williamsburg Regional Library   |  Services  |  Lit-Flick Book & Movie Club Special Event - Ferris Allen Bio

   www.wrl.org/depts/ref/litflick - [Cached]

   Published on: 11/24/2004   Last Visited: 1/16/2006

   From the Winners Circle: Ferris Allen, Thoroughbred Race Horse Trainer
   
   Ferris Allen
   ...
   A. Ferris Allen III grew up with horses on the family farm near the James River in Varina, VA. He rode in races at Varina, Camptown and Goochland and participated in several sports, preferring baseball. He also helped his father, Bert Allen, with a small stable of thoroughbreds. "If I wanted to be around my dad, I had to be around horses, and I loved my "Dad" says Ferris. He attended the College of William & Mary, making the varsity baseball team in his freshman year. Through his college years, he found time to keep in touch with racing. After graduation, he returned to Varina High School, teaching Government and coaching baseball, and he continued "fooling with the horses." He left high school teaching to become a full-time trainer in 1977.
   
   His life with racehorses was changed with the family star Miracle Wood. Following the horse's first win, Ferris called his Dad and said, "I think you have a runner." Ferris conditioned Miracle Wood to a win in the 1985 Maryland Juvenile Championship, a fifth place finish in the 1986 Preakness, and second place finish in the Jim Beam stakes. In 1999, Allen led all Maryland trainers in winners and continues his success at the Maryland tracks to the present. He surpassed the 1000 win plateau in 2000.
   
   Allen tops the all time Colonial Downs trainers standing by wins. A familiar sight on his pony during morning training hours, he is well-known as an effective and hardworking trainer. Ferris is currently based at Laurel Race Course, and during the course of the racing year, has operations at Gulfstream Park in Miami, Florida, Colonial Downs in New Kent, Virginia, and Delaware Park in Stanton, Delaware.
   
   Ferris is the father of two children, Jane, a junior on the equestrian team at Virginia Tech, and Finney, a junior linebacker at River Hill High in Clarksville, Maryland. With all his responsibilities, he still finds time to stay active in baseball as a second baseman of the Baltimore Baseball Club, a nationally ranked 50 and over team.