Trot Insider has learned that Rustys Flying, the winningest pacing mare in North America, passed away recently. She was 14.
The daughter of Artiscape and Flying Free amassed 108 wins through 12 seasons of competition, the most of any female Standardbred in harness racing history. She began her career in Delaware under the care of her breeder, Bobby Myers, before taking her 1:53.2 lifetime mark at Tioga Downs in her eight-year-old season.
She relocated north of the 49th parallel in the fall of 2018, and won 35 times in Canada over just shy of three years. The final win of her career came at Marquis Downs, in Saskatoon, Sask., on Oct. 2, 2021, for owners David Watson and Kris Jon Bjarnason. She recently passed away after a mishap in her stall.
Rustys Flying enjoyed her most illustrious season in 2019 — her first full year competing on Canadian soil — winning 20 races and finishing third or better in all but eight of her 41 starts. She also amassed double-digit single-season win totals on four other occasions.
“She has never earned a lot of money per race, she grinds out almost $1,000 per start and she's never won a stakes race or anything like that but she just keeps plugging along,” former owner Glenn Tarver said in a 2020 interview. "She’s a blue-collar horse ... she works hard for her money.”
Rustys Flying earned her nearly $350,000 in purses "the hard way," competing primarily in low-level claiming events through six states and three provinces. Her consistency made her a popular commodity at the claim box, as she was claimed 18 times in her career.
Please join Standardbred Canada in offering condolences to the connections of Rustys Flying.