Avenue Of Flags Reinjures Knee in Workout

Kentucky Derby chances vanished Monday for Avenue Of Flags when he reinjured a knee during a six-furlong workout at Santa Anita.

Avenue Of Flags, a well bred colt who had two victories and a second in three starts, was preparing to run in Saturday’s Sausalito Stakes at Golden Gate Fields when he was injured. Trainer Richard Mandella said that the colt will undergo surgery for the second time on a knee that was first injured last year.

A son of Seattle Slew, the 1977 Triple Crown champion, Avenue Of Flags is out of the mare Beautiful Glass, who tied the record for the El Encino Stakes at Santa Anita in 1983 when she ran 1 1/16 miles in 1:41 1/5.

Avenue Of Flags won a maiden race last May at Hollywood Park and finished second to Deposit Ticket in the Hollywood Juvenile then, returning to the races after almost six months away, beat Excavate, the 2-5 favorite and one of the California’s most promising 3-year-olds, in a 6 1/2-furlong allowance at Santa Anita on Feb. 14.

Avenue Of Flags was bred and is raced by John Mabee of San Diego.

Eleven grass horses, including the entry of River Warden and Dream of Fame, are entered in today’s 1 1/2-mile San Marino Handicap at Santa Anita. The high weights, at 115 pounds apiece, are Mashkour, Deliorman and Intelligently.