Personal Ensign, one of the best racemares and broodmares of the modern era, died of natural causes on Thursday night at Claiborne Farm. She was 26.

The Phipps' homebred daughter of Private Account, trained throughout her career by Shug McGaughey, won the Grade I Frizette Stakes as a 2-year-old in just her second start, but was sent to the sidelines late in 1986 with a potentially career-threatening fracture. She returned to win all four of her starts at three, including the Rare Perfume Stakes and the Grade I Beldame over older females.

In 1988, she rattled off wins in the Shuvee, Hempstead, Molly Pitcher, Whitney - defeating males Gulch and King's Swan - Maskette and Beldame. She then faced an all-start cast in her final career start, the Breeders' Cup Distaff at Churchill Downs. Struggling with a muddy surface throughout, Personal Ensign ran down Kentucky Oaks winner Goodbye Halo and Kentucky Derby winner Winning Colors in the final strides to prevail by a head in one of the most memorable finishes in Breeders' Cup history. Retiring a perfect 13-for-13, she was named the Eclipse champion older female of 1988.

As a broodmare, Personal Ensign produced Grade I winners My Flag, Miner's Mark and Traditionally, Grade I placed Our Emblem, Grade II placed Salute, and Grade III placed Proud and True.

My Flag, champion 2-year-old filly in 1995, when she won the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies, went on to produce 2002 Juvenile Fillies winner and divisional champion Storm Flag Flying, making it an unprecedented three generations of champions. Another daughter of My Flag, On Parade, is the dam of the multiple stakeswinner Parading.

At stud, Personal Ensign's son Our Emblem produced 2002 Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner War Emblem.

The race named in honor of Personal Ensign, who won most of her major races in New York, is held in late August every year at Saratoga. Storm Flag Flying won the race named in honor of her granddam in 2004.