Francine Villeneuve
Encyclopedia
Francine Villeneuve is a retired Canadian thoroughbred
jockey
and racing pioneer.
She is sometimes referred to by the nickname "The Queen of Fort Erie" because of a long affiliation with the border oval
. With 1,000 victories and 3,064 combined wins, places and shows, she retired in the Fall of 2011 as the winningest female Canadian jockey of all time and was the first Canadian woman to achieve the 1,000 wins milestone.
for equine studies, she took a summer job at Woodbine Racetrack
as a hot walker in 1984 and by 1987 she was a licensed racing jockey.
, riding Wilderness Song
, making history as the first female ever to place in Canada's oldest and most prestigious race. At the same time she was also the first Canadian woman to even ride in the event. By that August she would go on to become the first woman to ever ride in all three of the Canadian Triple Crown
races; the Queen's Plate
, the Prince of Wales Stakes
and the Breeders' Stakes
respectively.
Over the next decade and a half, as the victories and the "first female to..." milestones began to accumulate, her career saw many successes which culminated in 2004, when she became the first female winner of the prestigious Avelino Gomez Memorial Award
. A year later she became the first woman to finish in the money at the 2005 Prince of Wales Stakes
, finishing second by a nose-hair, aboard a 16:1 outsider named Autumn Snow. Villeneuve has also competed in the Breeders' Cup
races on two occasions. In May 2002 with her 600th victory, she overtook fellow pioneer Regina Sealock as the winningest female jockey in Canadian history.
After 24 years "in the irons" she rode more than 8,100 mounts and was also the first Canadian woman to reach the milestones of 1,000 seconds, 1,000 thirds, and the first to show a combined 3,000 times. All of this was achieved despite losing time in the saddle because of several serious injuries and taking two personal hiatuses from the sport; the first, a one year break during her peak years to give birth to her son Aaron, and the second, a three year sabbatical to better tend to her family. Her pioneering spirit and unassuming nature made her a fan favorite that would forever kick in the door of the historically male dominated sport and help to clear a path for other great Canadian jockeys like Chantal Sutherland
and Emma-Jayne Wilson
.
for career win number 1,000. Today, along with her son and her husband Bruce, Villenueve lives on a horse farm in central Florida
, where she trains, breeds and shows rare Akhal-Tekes. Francine Villeneuve has also been a longtime supporter of the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation
.
Francine Villeneuve's Career Thoroughbred Racing Summary: (source: equibase.com)
Starts Firsts Seconds Thirds Earnings
*8,129 *999 1,019 1,065 *$15,456,354
note: equibase data does not reflect a July 2011 victory aboard Turbine in Kingston, Jamaica
, which bring her totals to 8,130 starts, 1,000 victories and $15,461,204 in earnings.
Thoroughbred
The Thoroughbred is a horse breed best known for its use in horse racing. Although the word thoroughbred is sometimes used to refer to any breed of purebred horse, it technically refers only to the Thoroughbred breed...
jockey
Jockey
A jockey is an athlete who rides horses in horse racing or steeplechase racing, primarily as a profession. The word also applies to camel riders in camel racing.-Etymology:...
and racing pioneer.
She is sometimes referred to by the nickname "The Queen of Fort Erie" because of a long affiliation with the border oval
Fort Erie Race Track
Fort Erie Race Track is a horse racing facility in Fort Erie, Ontario, Canada built by the Fort Erie Jockey Club and inaugurated on June 16, 1897....
. With 1,000 victories and 3,064 combined wins, places and shows, she retired in the Fall of 2011 as the winningest female Canadian jockey of all time and was the first Canadian woman to achieve the 1,000 wins milestone.
Early life
The only child of Ron and Eleanor (née Broderick) Villeneuve, Francine grew up around horses on the family farm in Winchester Springs, Ontario. While attending Humber CollegeHumber College
Humber College Institute of Technology & Advanced Learning is a polytechnic college in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Humber offers more than 150 programs including: bachelor’s degree, diploma, certificate, post-graduate certificate and apprenticeship programs, across 40 fields of study. Humber serves...
for equine studies, she took a summer job at Woodbine Racetrack
Woodbine Racetrack
Woodbine Racetrack is a Canadian racetrack for Thoroughbred horse races located at 555 Rexdale Blvd. in the city of Toronto, Ontario. It is the only horseracing track in North America which stages, or is capable of staging, thoroughbred and standardbred horseracing programs on the same day...
as a hot walker in 1984 and by 1987 she was a licensed racing jockey.
Career
Ever the trailblazer, within four years, in June 1991, Villeneuve crossed the finish line second in the Queen's PlateQueen's Plate
The Queen's Plate is Canada's oldest thoroughbred horse race. It is run at a distance of 1¼ miles for 3-year-old thoroughbred horses foaled in Canada. The race takes place each summer in June or July at Woodbine Racetrack, Etobicoke , Ontario...
, riding Wilderness Song
Wilderness Song
Wilderness Song is a retired Canadian Champion Thoroughbred filly racehorse and a Hall of Fame inductee. Out of the mare Nalee's Rhythm, she was sired by the 1984 Breeders' Cup Classic winner Wild Again....
, making history as the first female ever to place in Canada's oldest and most prestigious race. At the same time she was also the first Canadian woman to even ride in the event. By that August she would go on to become the first woman to ever ride in all three of the Canadian Triple Crown
Canadian Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing
The Canadian Triple Crown is a series of three Thoroughbred horse races run annually in Canada which is open to three-year-old horses foaled in Canada...
races; the Queen's Plate
Queen's Plate
The Queen's Plate is Canada's oldest thoroughbred horse race. It is run at a distance of 1¼ miles for 3-year-old thoroughbred horses foaled in Canada. The race takes place each summer in June or July at Woodbine Racetrack, Etobicoke , Ontario...
, the Prince of Wales Stakes
Prince of Wales Stakes
The Prince of Wales Stakes is a Canadian Thoroughbred horse race run annually at Fort Erie Race Track in Fort Erie, Ontario. Restricted to three-year-old horses bred in Canada, it is contested on dirt over a distance of a mile and three sixteenths . In 1959, the Prince of Wales Stakes became the...
and the Breeders' Stakes
Breeders' Stakes
The Breeders' Stakes is a Canadian stakes race for Thoroughbred race horses first run in 1889. Since 1959 it has been the third race in the Canadian Triple Crown for three-year-olds...
respectively.
Over the next decade and a half, as the victories and the "first female to..." milestones began to accumulate, her career saw many successes which culminated in 2004, when she became the first female winner of the prestigious Avelino Gomez Memorial Award
Avelino Gomez Memorial Award
The Avelino Gomez Memorial Award is a Canadian thoroughbred horse racing honor given annually to a jockey who is Canadian-born, Canadian-raised, or a regular in the country for more than five years, who has made significant contributions to the sport...
. A year later she became the first woman to finish in the money at the 2005 Prince of Wales Stakes
Prince of Wales Stakes
The Prince of Wales Stakes is a Canadian Thoroughbred horse race run annually at Fort Erie Race Track in Fort Erie, Ontario. Restricted to three-year-old horses bred in Canada, it is contested on dirt over a distance of a mile and three sixteenths . In 1959, the Prince of Wales Stakes became the...
, finishing second by a nose-hair, aboard a 16:1 outsider named Autumn Snow. Villeneuve has also competed in the Breeders' Cup
Breeders' Cup
The Breeders' Cup World Championships is an annual series of Thoroughbred horse races, most but not all Grade I, operated by Breeders' Cup Limited, a company formed in 1982. From its inception in 1984 through 2006, it was a single-day event; starting in 2007, it expanded to two days. The location...
races on two occasions. In May 2002 with her 600th victory, she overtook fellow pioneer Regina Sealock as the winningest female jockey in Canadian history.
After 24 years "in the irons" she rode more than 8,100 mounts and was also the first Canadian woman to reach the milestones of 1,000 seconds, 1,000 thirds, and the first to show a combined 3,000 times. All of this was achieved despite losing time in the saddle because of several serious injuries and taking two personal hiatuses from the sport; the first, a one year break during her peak years to give birth to her son Aaron, and the second, a three year sabbatical to better tend to her family. Her pioneering spirit and unassuming nature made her a fan favorite that would forever kick in the door of the historically male dominated sport and help to clear a path for other great Canadian jockeys like Chantal Sutherland
Chantal Sutherland
Chantal Sutherland is a Canadian model, television personality and jockey in North American Thoroughbred horse racing. She is referred to as the Danica Patrick of horse racing...
and Emma-Jayne Wilson
Emma-Jayne Wilson
Emma-Jayne Wilson is a Sovereign and Eclipse Award-winning jockey in Thoroughbred horse racing. The daughter of a computer programmer and a corporate marketing executive, she began taking riding lessons as a girl of nine...
.
1,000th win and retirement
On October 31, 2011 in one of her final races, she rode Red Hot Doll to victory in the $30,000 Fan's Cup at Fort Erie Race TrackFort Erie Race Track
Fort Erie Race Track is a horse racing facility in Fort Erie, Ontario, Canada built by the Fort Erie Jockey Club and inaugurated on June 16, 1897....
for career win number 1,000. Today, along with her son and her husband Bruce, Villenueve lives on a horse farm in central Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
, where she trains, breeds and shows rare Akhal-Tekes. Francine Villeneuve has also been a longtime supporter of the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation
Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation
JDRF is the leading global organization focused on type 1 diabetes research. Driven by volunteers connected to children, adolescents, and adults with this disease, JDRF is the largest charitable supporter of T1D research...
.
Francine Villeneuve's Career Thoroughbred Racing Summary: (source: equibase.com)
Starts Firsts Seconds Thirds Earnings
*8,129 *999 1,019 1,065 *$15,456,354
note: equibase data does not reflect a July 2011 victory aboard Turbine in Kingston, Jamaica
Kingston, Jamaica
Kingston is the capital and largest city of Jamaica, located on the southeastern coast of the island. It faces a natural harbour protected by the Palisadoes, a long sand spit which connects the town of Port Royal and the Norman Manley International Airport to the rest of the island...
, which bring her totals to 8,130 starts, 1,000 victories and $15,461,204 in earnings.
External links
- 2005 Prince of Wales Stakes
- story from The Rider
- Globe and Mail: Villeneuve Reaches Milestone
- Bullet News Niagara: Popular Jockey Finishes In Style
- Welland Tribune: Jockey Rides Into Retirement
- Fort Erie Times: Villeneuve 1,000th
- Bullet News Niagara: Francine Remembers (story and video)
- 2011 win in Jamaica for Villeneuve