Retired Canadian jockey Francine Villenueve dies after long illness

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Francine Villeneuve, a popular former jockey in Ontario, passed away June 5 after a long battle with cancer at age 61.

Born in Ottawa, Ontario, Villeneuve won 1,000 races in Canada and the United States and her mounts earned nearly $15.5 million (U.S.). Among her stakes-winning rides were Bison City winner Wilderness Song, the runner-up to Dance Smartly in the 1991 Queen’s Plate, Twist the Snow, Moon Mist, Copper Trail, and Wholelottabourbon.

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Villeneuve was the second-leading rider in 2003 at Fort Erie, where she rode regularly from the late 1990s under retiring in 2011.

Villeneuve also had successful stints as a trainer and most recently as a jockey agent. She saddled Giovanna Blues to take the 2019 Flaming Page Stakes at Woodbine and won the 2019 Puss N Boots Cup at Fort Erie with Reallylikethisone.

Arrangements have yet to be announced.

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