April 13, 2010
Villeneuve Coming Home to Chase 1000th Career Win

FORT ERIE, April 13...Jockey Francine Villenueve is coming home. The veteran rider made it official Monday, she’ll return to the saddle this season in hopes of reaching a milestone, 1,000 career wins.

Since riding her first winner at Woodbine in 1987 the Ottawa native has recorded 934 victories. She is Canada’s all-time leading female rider ahead of Regina Sealock (742), Emma-Jayne Wilson (710) and Chantal Sutherland (701). (Total wins by a Canadian born rider).

“One thousand wins is definitely the motivating factor in my decision,” said the 45-year-old rider. “It’s within reach, I’ve been thinking about it for a long time.”

After riding 51 winners at Fort Erie in 2006, Villeneuve decided to take a break from racing. “I never really retired,” she said. “I just took some time off. Now it’s all or nothing, I’m coming back to focus on race-riding and winning races.”

Villeneuve was the first local female rider to ride in the Queen’s Plate, finishing second aboard Wilderness Song in 1991. Later that year she rode Wilderness Song in the Breeders’ Cup Distaff. In 2005 she just missed winning the Prince of Wales Stakes, she finished second aboard Autumn Snow.

Her proudest moment came in 2004 when she was awarded the Avelino Gomez Memorial Award. “I felt so honoured,” she said. “I felt I got a lot of recognition from people I respected. It really made me feel good.”

The Gomez award is given to a Canadian-born, Canadian-raised or regular rider in the country for more than five years, who has made significant contributions to the sport.

Live racing returns to Fort Erie on Saturday, May 1. First race at 1:30pm.

Daryl Wells
Media and Communications
1-800-295-3770 ext. 3204
e-mail: dwells@forterieracetrack.ca