Venencia (FR)

Venencia earned her first graded stakes victory in career start number 14 when she scored by 2 ¾ lengths in the Grade 3 Rood & Riddle Dowager Stakes Oct. 19 at Keeneland. The 5-year-old French-bred Recoletos mare pressed the early pace and took over the lead in the far turn of the 1 ½-mile turf event, which was held on a yielding course, and had plenty of stamina late to win convincingly under first-time jockey Ben Curtis.

Venencia made one start in her native country – a win – before moving to the U.S. She earned her first graded stakes victory in the listed Forever Together Stakes in November 2024 for trainer Chad Brown, and was transferred to Brendan Walsh’s barn in summer 2025. The mare posted back-to-back fourth-place finishes in graded stakes at Woodbine for Walsh before her breakthrough Dowager win.

Venencia is out of the winning Lemon Drop Kid mare Sign of Life and is from the family of French Horse of the Year Northern Trick.