Avenue de France (FR)

After starting her career in her native France, Avenue de France was shipped to Southern California in 2020. She won two stakes races at Golden Gate Fields, near San Francisco, in the 2021, winning the Luther Burbank Stakes on Aug. 7 and the Miss America Stakes on Dec. 11.  Avenue de France started her 2022 season with three defeats in graded stakes company at Santa Anita Park. She returned to Golden Gate on Apr. 30 for the Golden Poppy Stakes and won by a nose. 

In May 2022, she took the lead in the stretch of the Ouija Board Distaff Stakes at Lone Star Park but could not fend off the late surge of Park Avenue and finished second by a length. Avenue de France rallied from 10^th in an 11-horse field to win the Osunitas Stakes by 1 ¼ lengths July 23 at Del Mar.

Going Global got the better of Avenue de France in the Grade 2 Yellow Ribbon Handicap Aug. 13 at Del Mar. Avenue de France gained a measure of revenge in her next start when regular rider Juan Hernandez made a nice tactical move to start her rally early with a sweeping bid on the final turn of the Grade 2 John C. Mabee Stakes Sept. 10 and the Cityscape mare held off a late bid from Going Global to earn her first graded stakes win.