Francine Villeneuve, a Canadian thoroughbred jockey and racing pioneer, died on June 5, 2026, at age 61.
Known as “The Queen of Fort Erie” for her long association with the border track, she became the winningest female jockey in Canadian history, retiring in April 2012 with 1,001 victories and 3,065 combined wins, places and shows. Born in Ottawa on July 22, 1964, and raised around horses on her family farm in Winchester Springs, Ontario, Villeneuve studied equine work at Humber College and began at Woodbine Racetrack as a hot walker in 1984 before becoming a licensed jockey in 1987.
She was also credited as the first Canadian woman to reach 1,000 wins.