She was "routinely brilliant" on her way to a length win, stalking the early pace and then opening up in the stretch. The fans at Belmont gave her a standing ovation. Personal Ensign made her final start in the Breeders' Cup Distaff at Churchill Downs on November 5. The field included Winning Colors and Goodbye Halo, who had won several major three-year-old filly races while Winning Colors was racing against the colts. Winning Colors went to the lead and set moderate fractions, allowing her to conserve energy. The track was muddy and Personal Ensign did not handle it well, dropping far back and striding cautiously for her footing. McGaughey said to a friend, "Not today... She's beaten." As they turned into the stretch though, Personal Ensign swung to the center of the track, switched leads and finally hit her best stride. With an eighth of a mile remaining, she was still four lengths behind but Winning Colors was tiring. Goodbye Halo was also moving into contention and the three moved ever closer together. As they neared the finish line, Personal Ensign overtook first Goodbye Halo and then Winning Colors, winning in the final stride by a nose over the latter. The crowd erupted and McGaughey was both jubilant and relieved. "Undefeated," he said. "One of the most courageous performances I've ever seen." "What's so good about her," said Romero, "she don't want to get beat. She's determined to get the job done, and that's what she did today." The race drew superlatives from many observers. Edward Bowen, editor-in-chief of the Blood-Horse magazine, wrote, "It was a three-filly finish that left its witnesses uplifted and drained at the same time, a moment that leapt fully grown into history." Steven Crist of the New York Times named it his racing moment of the year, adding "It might be another 80 years before racing offers so stirring a moment." William Nack, writing for Sports Illustrated, called it "one of the most inspired and inspiring moments in recent memory." D. Wayne Lukas, who trained Winning Colors, congratulated McGaughey, saying "That's what it's all about! That's what racing's about!" Personal Ensign was retired following the Breeders' Cup as the first undefeated champion in American racing in over 80 years. Colin, who raced in 1907 and 1908, was the last such champion, winning all fifteen of his starts. Personal Ensign was voted the Eclipse Award for