Cal Expo has reported that longtime Standardbred owner Barbara Arnstine passed away on Saturday, April 13, 2024 in Sacramento, California at the age of 89 following a brief illness.

Barbara and her husband Don purchased their first horse, Big Time, in 1972, a move that set off 50-plus years of excitement owning dozens of horses and winning hundreds of races.

A fixture on the California scene, Barbara continued her involvement following her husband’s death in 2020.

It was just last Friday that the Arnstine legacy saw Little Miss Boss scoring a California Sire Stakes victory, a win that gave Barbara and her trainer Kathie Plested great pleasure.

Barbara, who had a doctorate degree in philosophy, was a professor at Sacramento State University for 30 years, teaching learning theory and women's studies.

At the family’s request, Watch and Wager and the California racing community look forward to fully celebrating her life in December in conjunction with the rebranded Barbara and Don Arnstine Pace.

Please join Standardbred Canada in offering condolences to the family and friends of Barbara Arnstine.

(With files from Cal Expo)