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Personal Ensign: Beyond a Perfect 10 by Tom DeMichele 
Per-fect (per-fikt): Being without fault or defect: satisfying all requirements.
Perfect sums up few horses -- one was a filly who lives in racing and Breeders' Cup lore: Personal Ensign. Mention her name to someone who followed her through her perfect 13 for 13 racing career and one particular race immediately jumps to mind, the Breeders' Cup Distaff at Churchill Downs in 1988. Entering the Distaff, Personal Ensign was attempting to become the first horse in 80 yrs to retire undefeated (Colin did it in 1908). Guided throughout her career by Shug McGaughey and bred by Ogden Phipps, the daughter of Private Account raced with 5 screws imbedded in her leg after suffering an injury early in her racing life. The theme leading into that year's Breeders' Cup was Personal Ensign's attempt at history and its bearing on Horse of the Year honors. Victory by the Phipps' colorbearer coupled with a loss in the Classic by Alysheba could have propelled Personal Ensign to racing's highest honor. This was the story of Breeders' Cup V. Conducted under dreadful conditions at Churchill Downs, including rain, wind and raw temperatures which produced snow flurries towards the end of the Championship Day, could not detour Personal Ensign's date with immortality. "There's a Derby Winner in the field." Tom Durkin's words echoed throughout the track as the Distaff entrants entered the gate for the running of the Distaff. Kentucky Derby heroine Winning Colors was just the second Derby winner to return to Churchill to race (the other being Dust Commander) and stood between Personal Ensign and her destiny. Concerns about track condition added drama to the already tense situation; the Distaff, the third of seven Breeders' Cup races, had seen the track downgraded to muddy, just another obstacle for Personal Ensign to overcome. "And the undefeated filly Personal Ensign is away in good order." Though the break and first turn were uneventful for Personal Ensign, without any bumping or sticky situations, she and jockey Randy Romero found themselves further back than normal and struggling with the quirky Churchill surface which was not giving her maximum traction. Romero shifted her inside and outside trying to find a lane that helped her gain confidence and get involved in the race which seemed to slipping away. "Winning Colors is doing what she did in the Derby, free running on the lead." Running free was exactly what Winning Colors was doing by the time the field reached the far turn; she was building an imposing lead and Personal Ensign was making no impact. Weaving her way through traffic and getting mud kicked in her face, Personal Ensign wan't enjoying the same scenerio she'd seen 12 previous times -- in those she traveled effortlessly and swallowed up anyone who dared to try to run away from her. "Personal Ensign is now within 8 lengths of the lead and making her move inside, and now switches to the outside." At the top of the stretch the urgency in Durkin's voice was evident, with a realization that only a miracle could save Personal Ensign from defeat. Those at the track and watching from home, even trainer Shug McGaughey, was resigned by the three-eighths pole to the fact that defeat was inevitable. "Personal Ensign is unleashing a furious late rally in the center of the track." At the eighth pole, still 4 lengths behind Winning Colors, Personal Ensign's determination and class kicked in. While looking hopelessly beaten to the naked eye, Personal Ensign had other ideas about losing her first race -- she ignored the nasty weather and track conditions and set sail after the leader, with legs pumping furiously and her ears pinned down with determination. With courage, she wore down Winning Colors in the final stride to lay her nose down on the wire in a miraculous finish. She remained and would retire with a perfect record. Personal Ensign's Breeders' Cup Distaff has been voted on numerous occasions the most exciting race of Breeders' Cup Championship Day, and with good reason. It showcased the most admirable qualities in a racehorse: class, determination, and the will to win when circumstances beyond a racehorse's control are present. She was as Randy Romero stated in a post race interview, a "one in a million racehorse". She was without fault or defect as the definition states. Perfect. Personal Ensign Born: 1984 Current: broodmare Trainer: Shug McGaughey Owner: Ogden Phipps Jockey: Randy Romero Breeder: Ogden Phipps Pedigree:
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Career Highlights: at 2:
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