Personal Ensign, never beaten, dies
By Glenye Cain Oakford

Barbara D. Livingston
Personal Ensign with Gus Koch at Claiborne Farm in 2006.

LEXINGTON, Ky. - Champion Personal Ensign, one of the best racemares in history and the dam of three Grade 1 winners, has died at age 26.

The pensioned Private Account broodmare died Thursday at Claiborne Farm in Paris, Ky., of natural causes, a farm employee said.

Personal Ensign won all 13 of her races. When she retired in 1988, she became the first North American horse to race at the sport's top level to retire unbeaten since Colin 80 years earlier. Ogden Phipps bred and owned Personal Ensign, who was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1993.

Her victories included the 1988 Breeders' Cup Distaff, in which she ended her perfect career with an epic stretch battle with that year's Kentucky Derby winner, Winning Colors. Personal Ensign won by a nose while giving Winning Colors four pounds. Personal Ensign also won the Grade 1 Beldame in 1987 and 1988, as well as the 1986 Frizette and the 1988 Whitney, Hempstead, Shuvee, and Maskette for her other Grade 1 wins. She also won the 1988 Molly Pitcher and 1987 Rare Perfume, both Grade 2 races.

After retiring to the breeding shed, Personal Ensign produced the Grade 1 winners My Flag, Miner's Mark, and Traditionally, as well as Grade 1-placed Our Emblem. She also is the dam of Grade 2-placed Salute and Grade 3-placed Proud and True. She was named Broodmare of the Year in 1996.

Personal Ensign, a Broodmare of the Year, was a daughter of 1988 Broodmare of the Year Grecian Banner, by Hoist the Flag. She was a full sister to Grade 1 winner Personal Flag.

wow..on the day that a great mare tries to stay unbeating another great mare passes...lets go zenyatta....do it for personal ensign