标签： Jamaica

Fresh off a dominant, eye-catching debut performance at the track on April 6, 2026, three-year-old American-bred bay filly Imjustagirl has emerged as one of the most promising young prospects in Jamaican thoroughbred racing, leaving her trainer cautiously optimistic about what the future may hold for the young champion.

Coming into her first official outing after a string of exceptional morning training sessions, the long-striding filly lived up to every bit of the pre-race hype, delivering a masterclass performance that left onlookers impressed. Competing over a 6-furlong (1,200-meter) distance in the Restricted Allowance II race — an event open to non-winners with two races under their belt among native-bred three-year-olds, and maidens aged three and up for imported runners — Imjustagirl crossed the finish line a full seven lengths ahead of her nearest competitor, posting a blistering overall time of 1:11.3, with split times of 21.4 seconds for the opening quarter, 45.2 for the half-mile, and 58.1 for the five-furlong mark.

In a post-race interview with Jamaica Observer’s *The Supreme Racing Guide*, trainer Jason DaCosta shared that he had been tracking Imjustagirl’s development through training and had never seen a horse post such remarkable morning gallops on Jamaican tracks. He entered the debut with high hopes, and the young filly far exceeded even his lofty expectations. DaCosta revealed he had simple instructions for jockey Robert Halledeen ahead of the race: avoid overworking the young horse early on, and conserve her energy for the stretch run, a strategy that paid off dividends.

“She did it effortless, very impressive time, basically jogging around, and I couldn’t be happier,” DaCosta said. “She beat a good horse and she did it effortless.”

The race unfolded exactly according to plan for Imjustagirl and her team. The filly broke cleanly from the starting gate and grabbed the early lead within the first few strides, holding the top spot through the half-mile mark as second-place finisher Army Tank, ridden by Dane Dawkins, worked to recover from a slow start out of the gate. As the field entered the final stretch, Imjustagirl was still cruising comfortably, and Halledeen only needed to give her a light cue to accelerate before she powered away from the competition to secure the landslide victory. Purosangue, ridden by Clive Lynch, rounded out the top three.

While the debut performance has put the racing world on notice of Imjustagirl’s talent, DaCosta emphasized that the filly is still early in her development, and his team plans to take a patient, measured approach moving forward. The trainer’s top priority is keeping the three-year-old healthy and happy as she prepares for future races, with the goal of a strong full season ahead. “It is early days and so we are going to take it step by step, one day at a time,” he added.

KINGSTON, Jamaica — As the countdown to Friday’s CONCACAF W Championship qualifier ticks down, the head coach of Jamaica’s senior women’s national football team, the Reggae Girlz, Hubert Busby, has made clear that his side is laser-focused on securing a commanding performance against Antigua and Barbuda at the iconic National Stadium, with kickoff set for 7:00 pm local time.

Speaking to reporters at a pre-match media briefing held Thursday, Busby emphasized what a meaningful moment this is for the entire squad, marking their first return to compete on home turf after a lengthy stretch of matches and training away from Jamaica. “It’s an incredible feeling to be back together on Jamaican soil,” Busby told the assembled press. “Our players have waited far too long for this opportunity to play in front of our own fans. Competing at home means everything to us, so we’re not just here to get the win — we’re here to put on a performance our supporters can be proud of.”

As the fixture forms part of the qualification pathway for the 2026 FIFA Women’s World Cup through the CONCACAF confederation, Busby stressed that every single remaining group stage match carries non-negotiable stakes for his side. “At the end of the day, every point matters in World Cup qualifying. Everyone in this group understands exactly what’s on the line, and we know we have to get the job done tomorrow,” he said. Busby added that the team is sticking to its proven game plan of focusing on one match at a time: “We’re locked in on Antigua and Barbuda first, and once that’s over, we’ll shift our full attention to our next fixture against Guyana.”

While Antigua and Barbuda has already been officially eliminated from contention for a spot in the 2026 CONCACAF W Championship, Busby warned against underestimating the Caribbean side. With qualification pressure lifted entirely, he noted that Antigua and Barbuda will be able to play with unfiltered freedom, creating an unexpected challenge for the Reggae Girlz. “They’ve got nothing to lose right now, so they can go out and play without any of the stress we’re carrying. That makes them dangerous, and we’ve prepared specifically for that brand of play,” he explained.

Busby also touched on the growing depth of his squad, pointing out that a handful of injury absences in the lead-up to the match have created unexpected opportunities for up-and-coming players to prove themselves at the international level. “We’ve built a really deep roster of talented players across the board, so I have zero doubt that the players stepping into these gaps will rise to the occasion and deliver strong performances in this qualifying camp,” he said.

Looking ahead to the later stages of the qualification process, Busby emphasized that steady improvement and consistent focus are more important than chasing perfection in every early fixture. “This isn’t about being flawless from the first minute. We’re here to build momentum, get better with every match, and stay focused on the task in front of us right now,” he said.

Fans in attendance can expect the Reggae Girlz to come out swinging with an aggressive, high-energy attacking style, as the side looks to leverage its home-field advantage to pick up three points and carry positive momentum into their upcoming qualifier against Guyana. Busby closed his remarks with an open call for Jamaican football supporters to turn out in force: “I’m urging everyone who can make it to come out to the stadium. These women are an incredible asset to this country, and they deserve all the support we can give them. Come cheer us on tomorrow.”

The ongoing CONCACAF W Championship qualifiers will ultimately decide which confederation teams advance to compete in the 2026 CONCACAF W Championship tournament, scheduled to take place in November 2026.

LONDON — Ahead of Manchester City’s critical Premier League fixture against Chelsea this Sunday, manager Pep Guardiola opened up about the lingering uncertainty surrounding the future of captain Bernardo Silva, confessing he has been left completely in the dark about the 31-year-old Portugal midfielder’s plans.

Silva, who is currently in the final six months of his existing contract at the Etihad Stadium, has been at the center of swirling transfer speculation in recent weeks. The talk of an impending exit gained major traction after assistant manager Pep Lijnders, speaking to the media following City’s dominant 4-0 FA Cup quarterfinal victory over Liverpool last week, seemingly all but confirmed the star would be leaving the club at the end of the current campaign.

“Every good story comes to an end, and I hope he enjoys the last months — because there is only six weeks — and has a good farewell,” Lijnders said in his post-match remarks.

But Guardiola, who was speaking to reporters for the first time since Lijnders’ comments, pushed back on any suggestion that the club already knows Silva’s decision, revealing he has even grown frustrated with the midfielder for not sharing his intentions sooner.

“I’m so grumpy with Bernardo because a month ago I said, ‘If you take a decision, I have to be the first to know’,” Guardiola told reporters. “And he didn’t say to me anything yet, so I don’t know what’s going on. It has to be Bernardo who tells us what he wants to do next.”

Since joining Manchester City from AS Monaco back in 2017, Silva has cemented his legacy as one of the club’s most decorated and consistent signings of the modern era. Across his seven-and-a-half seasons at the Etihad, he has racked up 450 senior appearances, helped deliver six Premier League titles, and was a key part of the squad that lifted the club’s first ever UEFA Champions League trophy in 2023.

Guardiola made clear he would be delighted to see Silva end his legendary playing career at Manchester City, even as he stressed that the final call is entirely the player’s to make.

“I would love it if he could stay and finish his career here,” Guardiola said. “I don’t know. He’s going to decide what he’s going to decide, announce to the club, the media, the fans and everyone. It’s his decision. But it has been an incredible, incredible signing. If you look at the numbers, the minutes he’s played, the titles he’s won, especially how he shows up in bad moments.

“I always judge players by how they perform when everything is difficult. Time after time, when we’ve needed him most, Bernardo has stepped up and said, ‘I’m here to help’. That’s what makes him so special to this club.”

Off the back of winning the League Cup last month, City is still in the hunt for an unprecedented domestic treble this season. Currently, the club sits second in the Premier League table, nine points behind runaway leaders Arsenal, though Guardiola’s side hold one game in hand over the Gunners. The two title favorites are set to face off in a highly anticipated clash at the Etihad on April 19, a match that could ultimately decide who lifts the league title in May.

Speaking about City’s title challenge, Guardiola acknowledged his side have left themselves with too much ground to make up after a series of inconsistent results earlier in the campaign.

“We need to win a lot of points,” Guardiola said. “We were not consistent enough during the season. We dropped points that we should have taken and that’s why we’re in the position that now we cannot do it differently. The only thing we can do is keep winning and see what happens.”