1988 Breeders' Cup Distaff

Winning Colors comes up short as Personal Ensign wins the 1988 Breeders' Cup Distaff.

[@lisabrooks9362]

Personal Ensign was born to run! This is probably the most exciting race I have ever witnessed. I strongly prescribe watching it to anyone who is discouraged and has considered giving up. It ain't over til its over.

[@christophyde]

god, i never get tired of watching this race. not ever.

[@jacquelinerambo6282]

RIP Randy Romero

[@qhsperson]

For any novice racing fans who find this video, your enjoyment may be increased if you know that Personal Ensign started her career as a two-year-old but fractured a pastern. Her leg was saved via excellent veterinary work, and she returned to the races as a three-year-old and went undefeated till her retirement. She won grade one races against fillies and colts. So for her fans, this finish is the greatest gift.

[@alekk796]

qhsperson one of the best horses ever

[@nickbill247]

With out a doubt,one of the best ever.Every time I watch this race it gives me goosebumps.

[@paulpatane2439]

Correct. Was off 13 months after 2nd careers start.

[@philipprebble7089]

I remember they showed her X ray of her hip on the breeders cup race amazing .

[@steveludwig4200]

Very interesting fact I didnt know. What a filly...

[@Dandesun]

I was there to see it live. I don't know how she did it. I still don't! What an amazing finish!

[@vernonfrance2974]

Winning Colors was the superior racehorse. The slow track that Breeder's Cup day favored the horses that come from behind. The time of the race was 1:52 for 1 1/8 which usually went in under 1:48. She was only three and had to face the older horse after racing in the grueling Triple Crown. Even so she barely lost. The next year after she hadn't run at all, they put her in another Distaff. That was an impossible task to ask.

[@PATRIARCA173]

BEST DISTAFF EVER

[@alekk796]

personal ensign what a champ

[@jeffmejia3556]

Heavy track. Now they have those tracks sealed tighter than cement. Winning Colors would’ve drawn off easily had this been run today with the way tracks are sealed. Have to give her credit. Great performance running on the front end like that only to be beaten by a nose.

[@rasheedazar]

Granddaughter of the immortal Damascus and half-sister to the incredible Inside Information (both sired by Private Account), who destroyed the field in the 1995 Distaff. Let all who are feeling beaten watch this race and be encouraged.

[@philipprebble7089]

Greatest filly I've ever seen . She was an athlete you could actually watch her look at the leader horse coming down the stretch and then turn on the afterburner. Alisheba did the samething only great horses do this they don't want to lose .

[@chrisp.9172]

Alysheba is a tremendously underrated horse. Call me crazy, but I believe if you had a fantasy race, with all the best horses, line em' up, I think a 5yr. Old Alysheba wins..

[@DanielSong39]

Personal Ensign pulled a Zenyatta Tragic end for Winning Colors, too bad she stopped on the front end

[@thomasblue6064]

I believe that same year there another filly that was unbeaten, and her and Personal Ensign hooked up in a stakes race. With about a 110 yards to the finish both filly were neck and neck when the other filly broke down. What was this other horses name?

[@bconigliaro]

It was a couple years later. The nearly-unbeaten Go For Wand broke down racing Bayakoa. At least that's what I think you're thinking of.

[@sarahc.toadvine6181]

This race gets me every time I wish they could've dead heated

[@brianclark1858]

Cant believe wc lost this race

[@TheJustjim3333]

Brian Clark No, Personal Ensign won it

[@StFidjnr]

Personal Ensign ran on a muddy track which she didn't like

[@outsideadventures6043]

Both thesefillys special! Thinking gary coulda rode Winning Colors better!

[@4orrcountry]

I doubt it. They had a clear strategy and missed by a nostril, WTH?

[@txmacartist]

I still tear up watching this, what an incredible finish!

[@Bassman968]

I remember watching this race on TV...the run down the stretch seemed to take 10 minutes. No matter how many times i watch the replay, I still can't believe PE got there.

[@WaltGekko]

Over a track that SEVERELY favored closers (it was obvious to anyone who saw the Sprint and Juvenile Fillies before this race). Is It True, who led all the way the Juvenile a little over an hour later was WAY more impressive because he did it AGAINST that bias.

[@deenvesta]

My favorite race of all time. A Ky Derby winning filly vs an undefeated in 12 starts Personal Ensign who looks hopelessly beaten and wins with the guts and determination of a true champion

[@roccodepasquale8642]

Not only is this the best race ever in my opinion. But what a sensational call by Tom durkins. Close 2nd 89 Preakness. I was born in 72 so obviously this race will be forever etched in my memory. And let's not forget the sublime jockey Randy Romero . RIP.Go for Wand who knows how spectacular she would have been

[@WaltGekko]

Sorry, but this was over a SEVERELY biased track towards closers. PE had a perfect trip. Is It True, who beat Easy Goer a little over an hour later in the Juvenile was FAR more impressive because he went wire-to-wire AGAINST that huge bias.

[@rustyshackleford5366]

One of the best races of all time.

[@ajcaprio2361]

What an unbelievable champion

[@alexkriaras7018]

personal ensign truly a superhorse

[@BigBob5909]

I have been following Thoroughbred racing since 1965. This was the best race I ever saw.

[@qhsperson]

I've got you beat by a couple of years (about 1961; picked my first Derby winner in '64 with Northern Dancer), but even now, no matter how many times I've watched this, I still end up on the edge of my chair, like maybe this time she won't make it in time.

[@floridapmi]

R.I.P. Randy

[@ValleyoftheRogue]

One of the great races of all time.

[@BIG-BlueNation8569]

Those 5 old turkeys who 👎 def bet Winning'Colors that race and were probably at Churchill in 88. Gamblers never forget the bad loses. History

[@dianebancalari4021]

A true winner. Here is a great one

[@elmzelk9846]

Goodbye Halo! Great grandmother of EQUINOX!

[@chrisp.9172]

Halo blood runs deep in Japan! Sunday Silence by Halo..

[@matthewwohlken8985]

One of the all-time best horse races! Winning Colors--a true Amazon and winner of one of the strongest Kentucky Derby fields ever...Goodbye Halo---an Eclipse winner mose years...and the undefeated Personal Ensign, winning in dramatic fashion in her final race...

[@chrisp.9172]

Goodbye Halo ran better than people remember! I bet her that day. I still can't believe PE got there. Another shut out Breeders cup at Churchill for me. Just never win on that track..

[@johnwalsh3215]

She’s a great story and a magnificent pretty girl, and the race gave me goosebumps!!

[@dianebancalari4021]

She never gave up....a fighter..and a true winner!

[@TheRamsberg]

'Snap Judgement' brought me here. (that's a story telling radio show/podcast, not a horse, ha!)

[@vvytautas6051]

Still the best.

[@stellastolidakis2133]

Whether in the slop or fast track personal ensign was always better than winning colors

[@boswindle9050]

Wrong

[@jamesgorham8170]

@@boswindle9050 Winning Colors was great but Personal Ensign was better. Beat winning Colors twice in two races.

[@ronniemashburn5160]

I've seen magnificent stretch drives,historic stretch drives,transcendant stretch drives, but this is the only immortal drive I've seen

[@dustynathan6442]

America's GREATEST horserace.

[@qhsperson]

Like the great Carry Back, I was a little hoarse by the end of this race.

[@willmorrisusa]

i was at Rockingham Pk, N.H. & saw it live on simulcast. I'd put $ to win on Winning Colors, cause she beat the big boys in the Derby & I figured PE was pry overrated. Boy was I wrong! what a finish

[@ritapescador8508]

Thank you Mark Paul for sharing your wonderful story about Winning Colors

[@4orrcountry]

Great race, poor tv production. The telecast was ruined by BRUTAL tv camera use. Needed more wide shots vs. just the top 3.

[@thomasblue6064]

I answered my question. The horses name was Go For Wand and she was running against Bayacola (Didn't spell right sorry.) In the BreedersDistaff 2 yrs after Personal Ensign. Got a lot of racing history in my mind so l forget. Sorry for the interruption.

[@williamdunphy352]

Race Call: Tom Durkin

[@matthewwohlken8985]

Winning Colors after getting passed was coming back....

[@TheJustjim3333]

What were you watching?

[@franklinrodriguez3505]

Clase de carrera

[@paulpatane2439]

RIP Randy Romero.