Personal Ensign - 1988 Breeders' Cup Distaff + Post Race & Interviews

Personal Ensign electrified the crowd by rallying from an apparently hopeless deficit to nail Winning Colors in the final stride and end her perfect career with a narrow triumph in the Distaff for fillies.

The victory, her 13th and narrowest in 13 career starts, won her a long standing ovation from the fans. The last American runner who retired undefeated after a full career was Colin in 1908.

Winning Colors, who won the Kentucky Derby last May, opened an easy early lead as Personal Ensign was trapped in traffic. Winning Colors sprinted away from the field into the stretch and Personal Ensign's chances looked slim as she still had four lengths to make up with a furlong to go. Widest of all under Randy Romero, she was gaining with every stride, but still needed a brilliant late surge to score by a long nose.

Personal Ensign raced the mile and an eighth in 1:52 over the muddy track and paid $3 for $2 to win as the favorite.

Personal Ensign, a 4-year-old daughter of Private Account and Grecian Banner, was bred by her owner, Ogden Phipps, and is trained by Shug McGaughey. She now goes off to Claiborne Farm in Paris, Ky., where she will be bred to Mr. Prospector next spring.

Winning Colors, who would have given Lukas a third straight training victory for the day, was gallant in defeat and finished half a length in front of Goodbye Halo to lock up the 3-year-old filly championship.

http://www.nytimes.com/1988/11/06/spo...