NAVIGATION SYSTEM wins Irish 2000 Guineas

By ITCH

NAVIGATION SYSTEM ($28.10) found his way home, all right.

Lost early in 11th place and coming off two-straight races in which he had no direction at all, Mtk’s Navigation System all of a sudden saw a clear path and exploded to a dramatic win in the Grade I $500,000 Irish 2000 Guineas here in Ireland on Saturday.

Navigation System, a brown son of Henrythenavigator representing Blazing Saddles for Mtk’s Shamrock Stables, jumped all the way to No. 14 in the 3yo turf route division.

In a race dominated by big late runs, Navigation System made the biggest of them all, scoring a 1 1/2-length victory with a 110 speed figure.

Rafa’s DERHAMM closed from 12th to be second, nosing out Astinator Adrian’s DOOTY DA DOO. Both colts earned identical 108 speed figures in the race. Dooty Da Doo’s race was impressive because he was the only one of the top three who did not come from the back of the field.

Far back in fourth was Balata (aka “The Pro”)  with Breeders Bowl champion BLACK GOLDNINER, who could not bear the weight of this writer’s predictions. The big horse failed to hit the board after chasing in 2nd early behind a torrid pace set by Manni’s speedball MEDICIAMBO, who could only manage fifth after building a big early lead.