‌Mojito expectedly produced a devastating performance to claim the 49^th running of the Jamaica 2000 Guineas, a native-bred three-year-old Futurity race for colts and geldings, over a mile (1,600m) at Caymanas Park on Sunday.

Conditioned by Hall of Fame trainer Richard Azan and ridden by reigning champion jockey Dane Dawkins, Mojito again underlined his credentials as the best among his lot at the moment with this, a fifth-straight win on the trot, in his seven-race career. His other two runs were second-place finishes.

Having won the Prince Consort over seven furlongs (1,400m) by 5 1/2 lengths, in 1:26.2 and, The Kingston by 15 lengths in a flat 1:33.0, over seven and a half furlongs (1,500m) on his way to the Guineas, it was a matter of how far Mojito would romp the $3.75-million Classic event.

The answer was a resounding 12 ½ lengths in a time of 1:37.2, behind splits of 24.1, 46.3 and 1:10.3.

Running from post position number two in the nine-horse field, Mojito left the gates well but suffered early traffic problems and, as such, was relegated to the back of the pack.

However, room opened up on the inside rails which Dawkins gladly accepted and soon joined Awesome Anthony (Javaniel Patterson) on the headline at the six-furlong point.

When Dawkins gave the signal, Mojito made big move and took the lead heading toward the five and later slipped away by three lengths leaving the half mile.

The gap widened coming in the stretch and Mojito continued to power away from rivals with Dawkins barely moving a muscle.

Money Miser (Reyan Lewis) was second with Ability (Linton Steadman) and Rhythm Buzz (Anthony Thomas), completing the frame.

Given the manner of his victory, Mojito is now heavily favoured to secure Triple Crown honours with the 12-furlong Jamaica Derby and 10-furlong St Leger to come.

Azan, who along with Alexander Haber, bred and own Mojito, is already rating the grey colt among the top horses he has conditioned in an illustrious career.

“I said he is one of the best because I have trained some really good horses so now he ranks up there right with them,” Azan said in a post-race interview.

“To be honest, I was a little worried at first but the jockey knows the horse very well, I was actually surprised that he went so quickly to the lead but then he relaxed after that and you know the rest was history. It is just about maintaining him from here because we still have two-more races to go for the Triple Crown,” he added.

Meanwhile, leading rider Reyan Lewis topped his peers with three wins on the 10-race card. He won the opening event aboard Carl Anderson’s Tocatbetheglory, the fourth aboard the Phillip Feanny-conditioned Inspire Force and the seventh race with Life Is Life, trained by Jason DaCosta.

The overall performances may not have been polished as Michael Reid would have liked, but the Jamaican gymnast did achieve a significant milestone at the recently concluded Pan American (PanAm) Artistic Gymnastics Championships, which he hopes will serve as another catalyst to promote the sports growth locally.

Reid’s original skill performed on the pommel horse at the event in Medellin, Colombia, was accepted in the FIG Code of Points and saw him joining Caleb Faulk –who achieved the feat last year on the high bar –as Jamaicans to have etched their names in the annals of gymnastics scoring history.

But while the American-born Reid, who has been representing Jamaica since 2016 welcomed the historic achievement, he was more delighted about the attention it will bring to the island and, by extension, the efforts of the Jamaica Gymnastics Association (JAGA).

Reid only took on the pommel horse and parallel bars where he scored 11.933 and 12.467 for a total 24.400.

“It wasn't the overall result I wanted, but it provides indications of what I need to work on in training for the rest of the season. That said, I am extremely happy and proud of my new skill, it has always been my dream to have a skill in the code, but I think doing it for Jamaica makes it even more important,” Reid declared.

 “President Nicole [Grant], the JAGA board and all of the senior team members, old and new, have been working hard to build Jamaican gymnastics from the foundation up.

“They have been showing local kids that they can shine and be great in the sport, especially on the biggest stages and have paved the way for them to have even greater successes. So, as happy as I am for myself, I am even happier for Jamaica’s gymnastics,” he added.

For Reid, getting the skill, a travelling backward hop over both pommels, into the FIG Code of Points, somewhat signals a changing of the tide where the dominance of the more illustrious countries is concerned.

“The Gymnastics Code book is full of skills named after Europeans, Asians and American athletes, but there were zero Jamaican skill creators until Caleb created the "Faulk" (a high bar dismount) and we have a second skill the "Reid" on pommel horse. 

“So now among the Bretschneiders and Li Ningd, there is also Faulk and Reid. Even after Caleb and I retire, our skills will be in the gymnastics Code of Points forever claiming space for Jamaican athletes. I am proud of the effort and sacrifices that went into making it happen,” Reid noted. 

The 30-year-old was not shy to admit that it took grit and stubborn determination to attain his current successes, as he reflected on the 2022 season which was lined with highs and lows.

Reid explained that he had to perform the great balancing act of coaching NCAA gymnastics at the US Naval Academy with his commitment to representing Jamaica. 

 “I had to learn to be very efficient in my workouts and with my recovery. The physical side of it wasn't a problem, but there were a lot of mental struggles with being in the gym 8-10 hours each day and still having to put out quality workouts,” the three-time NCAA All-American shared.

“So, it took a real mental shift to make it work and it also taught me that I need to focus more on enjoying the performance side of pommel and showing off the work that I have done. It took a whole year, and a dislocated finger to get it ready for competition, and everything is now falling into place which tells me that I still have more to give to this sport,” Reid stated.

And more Reid intends to give, as he has his sights set on the Paris World Cup with hopes of securing an historic podium finish.   

“I do have another skill I want to present on Parallel Bars, but that is going to have to wait. My focus now is a medal for Jamaica. Paris is the next chance for that and beyond that, I would love to do anything I can to continue the growth of gymnastics in Jamaica,” Reid ended.

Xavier Gilbert says the tenacity shown by Jamaica's young Reggae Girlz in their failed Concacaf Women’s Under-20 Championship campaign, should not be understated given the circumstances under which they entered the tournament.

Gilbert, the Head coach of local female outfit Frazsiers Whip, home of a number of the Under-20 players, to include Shaneil Buckley, Davia Richards, Tiny Seaton and Andrene Smith, among others, believes the Girlz had their task of securing an historic Women’s Under-20 World Cup qualification cut out for them, as they entered the tournament in the Dominican Republic with limited preparation and team chemistry. 

As such, he praised the players and the Hugh Bradford-led coaching staff for the self-belief and fight shown when limiting heavily favoured powerhouses United States and Canada in 0-4 losses, before bouncing back for a 4-1 win over Panama to end their Group A outing on a high.

"We have to commend them for how they performed and the coaching staff for what they did with limited preparation playing against those teams (United States and Canada), who would have had way more camps than us going into that tournament," Gilbert said.

"So, we have to give them credit and we have to put things into context, it wasn't the strongest teams in some sense, but I think they showed a lot of fight. There are people who would probably be disappointed, and you can't fault them for their opinions, but I believe the Girlz must be applauded," he added.

Gilbert, who is also an assistant of the senior Reggae Girlz setup, is hoping those players can bring match fitness into play, as they are expected to be involved in Saturday's Jamaica Women’s Premier League (JWPL) first-leg semifinal action against Olympic Gardens at the UWI-JFF Captain Horace Burrell Centre of Excellence. Game time is 3:00 pm.

The winner of the two-leg tie will meet Cavaliers Women in the June 17 final.

"I am a little bit concerned about tired legs and fatigue so we will just have to manage those players as best as we can. In fact, I don't think I'll have the services of two of those players which is understated, so others will have to step up and we will see how it goes," Gilbert said.

Having already copped the knockout title, Gilbert is optimistic that they can add the League title to their accolades but is aware that they first have to get by a determined Olympic Gardens unit.

"We have played them a couple times we just have to ensure that we get them out of the game as early as possible and have them chase the game. I don't think their condition is as good as ours so will use that to our advantage," the tactician shared.

"Olympic Gardens is a team that can be up and down, if they come out with the right attitude and frame of mind then it's not going to be easy, so we have to be focused because if we are not tactically disciplined or lapse at any time, they can make our lives difficult," Gilbert noted.

Having yearned for the return of the National Basketball League (NBL), a number of the country's top players are now raring to go, not merely to give of their best, but also to hopefully inspire youths in troubled communities to view the sport as a way out.

The ambitions of Adeeb Vernon, Leslie Cassell and Matthew-Dane Henry, coincide with Jamaica Basketball Association’s (JABA) objective, which is to use basketball as a way of influencing communities and schools to reduce incidence of violence, through partnership with the Ministry of National Security.

The upcoming season to target certain communities in Kingston, St James and Westmoreland for violence-intervention projects, marks the return of the nation’s top basketball league from a three-year COVID-induced break and will see 10 teams –down from 12 in 2020 –vying for supremacy over a four-month period, staring June 17.

Vernon, a member of defending champions St George’s Slayers, said the league’s objective hits close to home as he revealed that basketball saved him from his disruptive ways.

"I think this game can help Jamaica in the sense that it can get kids on the right track, and I should know because I was one of those teenagers who gave a lot of trouble growing up and it wasn’t until I got involved in basketball that my behaviour and overall attitude changed,” Vernon said during the League’s launch at the Sports Development Foundation (SDF) Phoenix Avenue base on Wednesday.

The power forward, who is now gearing up to represent Jamaica at the Central American and Caribbean (CAC) Games next month, is hoping to continue his rich vein of form from a previous tournament.

“I was one of the top power forwards in the Phase 1 Caribbean League and so I now hope to be one of the best players in the NBL. I am working towards that goal and so I am looking forward to giving my all and entertaining the spectators,” Vernon declared.

Urban Knights representative Cassell, pointed out that his recent return to basketball came with a higher calling. 

"I am one of those players that have been away from the sport since COVID, but I found my wait back through a community league which my team won. But my bigger approach to that game was to be a role model for the younger players on the team,” he explained.

“My vision for basketball in Jamaica is to give the aspiring players something to look forward to. Yes, it would be good to get to the NBA or Europe, but if we are to be honest, we know chances of getting there are slim.

“So, my goal for Jamaica is to have a league that our younger players can look forward to, a league from which they can make a living, it seems far-fetched, but not impossible. So for me it starts with the NBL and so I plan to bring entertainment and professionalism to the league,” Cassell added.

Matthew-Dane Henry, of Upper Room Eagles, shared similar sentiments.

"Upper Room is aiming for a championship and in doing so, we plan to bring a certain level of professionalism, tenacity and energy to ensure that the entertainment value for the fans is at optimum. That three-year break was like torture, so thanks to the sponsors for coming on board and like you, we are looking forward to healthy competition and intensity,” he said.

Meanwhile, JABA president Paulton Gordon, expressed delight that the league is back on the basketball calendar to showcase the best local-based basketball talent and aspiring national payers who will display their skills in the presence of national coaches.

The other confirmed teams are, UWI Running Rebels, Rae Town Raptors, Tivoli Wizards, Falmouth Saints, Central Celtics, Spanish Town Spartans, and Portmore Flames.

An all-star NBL team will be selected mid-season to play against the visiting University of Missouri NCAA team during the summer.

“We are looking forward to a good four months of solid basketball and not only that but the partnership with the Ministry of National Security will help us take basketball into some of the communities and to use it as a tool for behaviour modification, so we are excited about that,” Gordon stated.

To achieve that goal, Gordon explained that though games will be played primarily at the National Stadium courts, they will move away at some point to select venues in Montego Bay, Ocho Rios and possibly St Mary.

“We want to move the games outside of the urban hubs that are quite familiar with basketball so we will be playing some of the games in Montego Bay and we also think there is huge potential in St Ann and St Mary. So we want to carry high level basketball into that space so that more persons can become more familiar and interested in participating in the game,” he noted.

Jamaica’s young Reggae Girlz gave head coach Hugh Bradford something to smile about, as they concluded their failed Concacaf Women’s Under-20 Championship campaign on a high with a 4-1 beating of Panama, at the Felix Sanchez Stadium in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic on Tuesday.

Natoya Atkinson (16th), Davia Richards (32nd), Maya Raghunandanan (37th) and Amelia Van Zanten (74th) were on target for the Bradford’s side, while Meredith Rosas, got Panama’s consolation in the 79th minute.

With the win, the Girlz ended Group A in third on three points scoring four goals and conceding nine, behind United States and Canada, to whom they suffered identical 0-4 defeats. Panama finished at the foot of the standing without a point.

It was a dominant performance by the Girlz, who for the first time in the tournament played with some degree of freedom and bossed possession throughout.

 In fact, they were so fluent in attack, particularly in the first half, to the point where they held a high line, got significant numbers forward and camped out in Panama's quarters.

After firing a few warning shots, the Girlz inevitably broke the deadlock when Atkinson fired home from close range, after Destiny Powell’s initial effort came back off the crossbar.

Though they continued to apply consistent pressure, the Girlz had to wait until minutes past the half-hour mark to double their lead. Richards converted from the 12-yard spot, after Mireilis Rojas was adjudged to have handled the ball inside the 18-yard box on the VAR review.

Panama was not without hope, as they tried to play their game and even stringed a few good build ups together to remind the Jamaicans of their potential but couldn’t get anything on frame.

However, the Jamaicans pushed further ahead through Raghunandanan, who pounced on loose ball and lashed a one-time effort from a distance past Alejandra Garay, in goal for Panama, to make it 3-0 at the break.

Panama was never expected to overturn the deficit, but they were certainly more purposeful on the resumption with Sherline King forcing a fingertip save from Jamaica’s goalkeeper Katie Oakley in the 58^th minute.

The Central Americans grew in confidence in the attacking third as the game progressed, especially as the young Reggae Girlz briefly became complacent and overconfident.

When they regained composure, the Jamaicans added a fourth courtesy of Van Zanten from the penalty spot, after the fleet-footed Shaneil Buckley was taken out by Garay inside the danger area.

But Panama responded shortly after with a 12-yard conversion of their own. Substitute Andrene Smith felled Aaliyah Gil in the 18-yard box, shortly after entering the pitch and Rosas was cool, calm and collected in firing past Oakley.

The Jamaicans could have added to their tally in the latter stages, but lacked composure in the final third, while it took some brilliance from Oakley to deny Gil, from a distance, four minutes from time.

Cavalier Football Club’s Head coach Rudolph Speid says his team has no intentions of resting on their laurels, after edging reigning champions Harbour View 1-0, in the first leg of their Jamaica Premier League (JPL) semi-final tie at Sabina Park on Monday.

Orlando Russell’s second goal against Harbour View and third overall this season, proved the all-important strike that handed Speid’s youthful team the advantage ahead of Sunday’s return-leg at the same venue.

“What we tried to do was not to concede any goals and take what we got and that is what happened. But I think we need one or two more goals to be safe and so we will be pushing for that in the next game,” Speid said.

After playing out a goalless first half where both teams had their moments, Cavalier found the go-ahead goal seven minutes after the interval through a well-worked build up orchestrated by Nickache Murray.

Murray floated a delicate pass over the top, which was headed across by Jerome McCleary for Orlando Russell to apply the finishing touch at the far post.

Harbour View came close to pulling level in the 62nd minute, but Cristojaye Daley’s well-struck left-footed drive from a distance, was equally well-saved by Vino Barclett, diving full-stretch to his right, in goal for Cavalier.

Cavalier could have extended their lead in the latter stages when the league’s leading scorer Collin Anderson got away from Harbour View’s defenders but fired a right-footed effort straight at goalkeeper Romario Palma, despite having enough space and time to set and shoot.

For Harbour View’s Head coach Ludlow Bernard, its back to the training pitch to assess their mistakes and make the necessary adjustments for the second leg.

“We ran out of ideas up top and so we paid the price for it. We didn’t capitalize on what was probably a tired Cavalier team, but we have some things that we clearly need to look because we are now under one-nil, so we just have to reset and come again,” Bernard stated.

Meanwhile, the second semi-final between Arnett Gardens and Mount Pleasant remain evenly poised, as they played out an entertaining 2-2 stalemate in a game that ensured the large crowd did not leave disappointed.

The inform Leonardo Rankin (17th) and Trivante Stewart (63rd), got the goals for the St Ann-based Mount Pleasant, who went in front twice, but Shai Smith (30th) and Fabian Reid (66th), ensured Arnett Gardens, remained in contention.

It was mostly end-to-end action from the start, but it was Mount Pleasant that drew first blood when Rankin deflected Demario Phillips’s weighted corner kick past Eric Edwards in goal for Arnett Gardens.

However, the “Junglists” were back on level terms 13 minutes later when Ajuma Johnson’s weighted cross found the head of the rangy Smith, who made no mistakes in guiding past Shaquan Davis.

As the score remained unchanged at the break, both teams against came out firing on the resumption, throwing their weight in attack, but again, it was Mount Pleasant that found the go-ahead goal three minutes past the hour mark.  

Stewart outsprinted two defenders before squeezing a right-footer past the advancing Edwards to register his 16th goal this season.

But the celebrations were short-lived, as Reid also registered his 16th goal of the season when he utilized a cheeky first touch to create space for a right-footed drive that had Davis well beaten.

Both teams continued to create chances and could have secured the advantage, but for a lack of composure in the final third.

Still, both Paul “Tegat” Davis of Arnett Gardens and his counterpart Theodore “Tappa” Whitmore, agreed that it was a fair result, as it is anybody’s game come Sunday.

Despite a failed bid at an historic FIFA Women’s Under-20 World Cup qualification, Hugh Bradford is optimistic about staying on with the national programme, as he believes he has more to offer to Jamaica’s football development.

However, at the same time, the American-based coach is also hopeful that things will be done differently to better nurture, and, by extension, prepare the country’s young talents to perform in a competitive environment.

Bradford’s comments came, as he continues to assess the young Reggae Girlz performances in consecutive 0-4 losses to regional powerhouses Canada and United States, at the Concacaf Women’s Under-20 Championship in Dominican Republic.

The Girlz are scheduled to close out their Group A campaign against Panama at Felix Sanchez Stadium in Santo Domingo on Tuesday at 2:00 pm.

“I hope to continue with the programme, but that will be up to the Jamaica Football Federation to decide. I also hope to see our country put things in place for our youngest players that will help to get them ready for this stage, both in Jamaica and abroad,” Bradford said.

“There is no doubt that we have a lot of talent. However, as a country, for us to play against the best, we have to constantly make changes to how we treat our football development to keep up with the world, but more so in Concacaf,” he added.

While disappointed that his young Reggae Girlz failed to keep the United States at bay on Sunday, Bradford lauded his team for putting in a much-improved performance, from a defensive perspective in particular, when compared to their opening defeat against Canada.

As such, the tactician is eyeing a similar of even better all-round execution against fellow strugglers Panama, as both teams, who are without a point or a goal, seek to salvage some pride from their failed campaigns.

“I am hoping the team will play another good game as they did against USA, we didn’t get on the scoresheet as we would have liked, but again, it all comes down to focus and how we prepare ourselves to take on the best,” the tactician noted.

 “As a team you have to be at your best for 90+ minutes, so their fitness level matters and that is an all-year thing. But I think the ladies should be able to put in a better showing against Panama and so we look forward to what should be another good game,” said Bradford.

Both United States, the reigning seven-time champions, and Canada, on six points each, will lock horns in the Group A top-of-the-table clash, at 5:00 pm.

The winner will take on Group B runners-up Costa Rica, while the loser will have to contend with Mexico in Friday’s semi-finals.

The two finalists and third-place team will qualify for next year’s Under-20 World Cup.

Despite failing to secure qualification to the Pan American (PanAm) Games nor the World Championships, Jamaica's artistic gymnasts Tyesha Mattis and Kiara Richmon took heart from their respective performances at the just-concluded PanAm Gymnastics Championships in Medellin, Colombia. 

Mattis, Richmon and newcomer Mya Absolam, all produced credible showings in a highly competitive environment at the three-day championships which ended on Sunday but were unable to break into a coveted top 12 position.

The England-born Mattis, who was Jamaica’s standout performer at last year’s event when she qualified for the World championships, expressed some disappointment that she wasn’t able to repeat the feat, as she was firmly set on getting to the PanAm Games in Chile and the World Championships in Belgium, later this year.

She placed 32^nd overall with an all-around total of 44.500, after scoring 12.867 on vault, 10.533 on uneven bars, 10.733 on the balance beam and 10.367 for her floor routine.

"I was happy with parts of my performances, but I felt like I put a little bit too much pressure on myself to qualify and so I didn’t do as well as I would have liked to,” Mattis said shortly after competition.

However, the 24-year-old did find a few positive takeaways that she hopes to improve on ahead of next month’s Central American and Caribbean (CAC) Games in El Salvador, when she is next expected to parade her skills for the island.

“I managed to complete a 2 1/2 twist off beam again after not putting that out in competition for over four years, so I am super proud of myself in that regards as I am proving to myself that I can do more than I am limiting myself to,” she reasoned.

“I am more than capable, and I just need to trust that my body can do the work and again, not putting too much pressure on myself. I work so hard in the gym and when I really wanted to put out my best, I made a couple mistakes.

“But I have to remember I’m only human and I can learn from some of my mistakes and so I am really looking forward to a better performance out in El Salvador in a couple weeks. Looking forward to trying some different routines there and putting out more of my skills as I know I have so much more up my sleeve and the more I compete internationally, the more confident I feel,” Mattis added.

For Richmon, who placed 36^th overall with an all-around score of 42.866, just being able to represent Jamaica at the event, represents a remarkable achievement and another significant milestone in her budding career.

Her total includes score of 11.100 on vault, 10.233 on the uneven bars, 10.400 on the balance beam and 11.133 for her floor routine.

“I feel like I did my best with my performance at the championships, especially being that I only had two weeks to prepare. So, I am definitely proud that I was able to hit all four apparatus and getting to be here with the team,” Richmon shared.

With this being her first elite outing since 2019, the 21-year-old Fisk University student is eagerly looking forward to continuing her journey, as her unwavering determination, relentless work ethic and immense potential positions her as one of country’s gymnast to watch.

“It felt amazing, and this performance will definitely serve as motivation for me going forward, I just need to just trust my training and do not over work myself. I also need to have more confidence and belief in myself and hopefully on my next competition I can produce a stronger performance with cleaner routines,” the US-born Richmon said.

Meanwhile, Absolam, another England-born gymnast, had an all-around total of 39.533, after scoring 10.333, 10.033, 8.600, 10.567, on vault, uneven bars, balance beam and floor, respectively. She placed 42^nd overall.

On the male side, Canada-born Elel Wahrmann-Baker, was Jamaica’s top performer, placing 27^th overall, with an all-around total of 72.301. Wahrmann-Baker had scores of 12.767 on floor, 13.067 on the pommel horse, 11.067 on rings, 13.100 on vault, 13.133 parallel bars and 10.167 on high bar.

Caleb Faulk placed 29th overall with scores of 12.300, 10.900, 12.400, 12.767, 11.9667 and 11.667 for an all-Around total of 72.001, while Matthew McClymont tallied 63.165 for 47^th overall. His scores include 12.233, 9.133, 7.533, 12.733, 10.800 and 10.733.

Jamaica’s other representative Michael Reid only took on the pommel horse and parallel bars where he scored 11.933 and 12.467 for a total 24.400.

Jamaica’s wait to qualify for a FIFA Women’s Under-20 World Cup has been prolonged, as the young Reggae Girlz suffered a second-consecutive 0-4 defeat, this time at the hands of United States, at the Concacaf Under-20 Championships in Dominican Republic on Sunday.

A hat-trick from Madeline Dahlien (10th, 47th and 79th) and one from Tessa Dellarose (49th) saw the reigning seven-time champions to victory which secured them a semi-final berth along with Canada, who earlier registered a 5-0 win over Panama.

Both United States and Canada, are on six points each and will decide Group A winners in a top-of-the-table clash on Tuesday, while the Jamaicans and Panamanians are to meet in a contest of academic interest on the same day.

While it was a much-improved showing from the young Reggae Girlz in part, when compared to their 0-4 opening loss to Canada, they simply lacked the pedigree of their United States counterparts.

The Hugh Bradford-coached Girlz showed more heart defensively and did manage to show some semblance of individual flair when in possession, but again offered very little on the attacking front.

It took only 10 minutes for US to break the deadlock when Dahlien breached the backline and fired past Liya Brooks.

They continued to apply consistent pressure and found a few more openings but faulty shooting proved their undoing as they failed to hit the target.

That coupled with the fact that the young Reggae Girlz were more organized at the back, resulted in the score remaining 1-0 at the break.

However, the Girlz first half accomplishments quickly went out like a candle in the wind, as the US attackers went straight to work on the resumption. A weighted cross from Onyeka Gamero was expertly met by Dahlien beating Brooks to her left, two minutes in.

And before the Girlz could regroup, they found themselves further behind when Dellarose’s delightful left-footed strike from about 20-yards out, gave Brooks no chance at a save.

Brooks was better positioned to deny substitute Jill Flammia’s effort from just outside the 18-yard box in the 54^th minute, as she got down well to her right to parry onto the upright.

But Dahlien eventually secured her third and a fourth for the US with another easy finish beyond Brooks.

US, Canada, Costa Rica and Mexico are set to contest the semi-finals.

The two finalists and third-place team will qualify for next year’s Under-20 World Cup.

Carl Anderson's Emperorofthecats produced a stunning performance to upset his more fancied rival in a three-year-old and upwards Open Allowance contest for the Harlequin Cup over five furlongs (1,000m) straight at Caymanas Park on Saturday.

Bred, owned and trained by Anderson, Emperorofthecats, piloted by Richard Henry, came home at odds of 16-1, finishing 3 3/4 lengths ahead of his closest rival to secure the lion's share of the $1.29-million purse for his connections. 

The four-year-old bay gelding by Emperor Hall-Laws of the Cat, won in a flat 59.0 seconds, after splits of 23.1 and 45.3 seconds.

The contest was expected to be a romp for Dale Murphy's in-form imported Runaway Algo, who was coming off a 13 1/2 lengths in the Seeking My Dream Trophy over seven and a half furlongs (1,500m), where he recorded a new Stakes record time of 1:30.4.

But, with this being Runaway Algo's first race over the straight course in 16 starts on local soil, there were a few doubts about how he would navigate the event, which included more fleet-footed rivals.

It was a pretty even start with Madelyn's Sunshine (Reyan Lewis), Runaway Algo (Linton Steadman) and Emperorofthecats, hooked up on the headlines, before the latter gradually separated himself from the pack and maintained his gallop to the end.

Though Runaway Algo attempted a rally at the furlong pole, he had no response to Emperorofthecats turn of foot.

Yellowstone (Anthony Thomas) closed well to take second ahead of Runaway Algo, while Duke (Dane Dawkins), completed the frame.

Meanwhile, Linton Steadman and Roger Hewitt topped all riders with two wins apiece.

Steadman won aboard Patrick Lynch's California Gold in the second event and the Fernando Geddes-conditioned Thalos in the fourth event.

Hewitt's winners came in the sixth and 10th events aboard Market Place and Ultimate Machine for trainers Robert Pearson and Robert Ffrench, respectively. 

Despite facing an uphill task, Jamaica’s Head coach Hugh Bradford is optimistic that his young Reggae Girlz will produce an improved performance against reigning seven-time champions United States in their second Group A contest at the Concacaf Women’s Under-20 Championship in Dominican Republic on Sunday.

The encounter to take place at the Felix Sanchez Stadium in Santo Domingo, is scheduled for 5:00 pm Jamaica time, after the Canada versus Panama curtain-raiser at 2:00 pm.

After going down 0-4 to Canada in Friday’s opener, the young Reggae Girlz are now caught in a must-win situation in order to keep hopes of securing an historic FIFA Women’s Under-20 World Cup berth alive and Bradford is backing his charges to put their best foot forward on this occasion.

United States, who hammered Panama 6-0 in their opening contest, currently head the standings on three points, same as Canada, but with a better goal difference.

“Yes, it is a difficult task but we are going to try and play our game and not worry about what the opponents will do. I know we have a lot of potential in our team and so I expect the players to go out and give off their best,” Bradford said.

Reflecting on the team’s performance against Canada, the US-based coach pointed out that the players failed to execute as instructed and, as such, were outclassed in all departments and beaten by goals from Anabelle Chukwu (39th and 45th), Olivia Smith (56^th) and substitute Renee Watson (90+4).

“I thought we could have been better, but we weren’t entirely bad. We used a lot of energy on the defensive side, didn’t press the ball enough and so we were unable to get anything out of the game,” Bradford reasoned.

“But we have to just leave that game behind us and focus on the next game. We know our performance needed to be better as a team and like I said, I expect the ladies to show some improvements here. Everybody is fine, we had our team meeting and discussed what changes needs to take place as we look ahead,” he added.

Should the Girlz pull off an unlikely upset, it would put them in a good position to secure on of two spots from the group to the knockout stage, as they are set to close against Panama on May 30, while the United States and Canada will have each other to contend with.

Meanwhile, Costa Rica and Mexico, have all but secured the two positions from Group B, with two wins each.

The two finalists and third-place team will represent the confederation at next year’s Under-20 World Cup.

Tiffany Cameron has overcome every hurdle that came to the fore while representing both club and country.

In fact, over the past two years, in particular, Cameron stressed the significance of maintaining her physical and mental toughness, especially through the most difficult periods and it is this approach that has resulted in her current success on both fronts.

Despite the challenges along the way, the Canadian-born player, continued to parade her skills with much gusto and recently lead her Hungarian top-flight club ETO FC Gyor to Cup triumph, with hopes of adding the League title to their accolades.

This, as she positions herself for a spot on Lorne Donaldson's 23-player squad to the July 20 to August 20 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand.

Cameron has accounted for 18 goals and 11 assists for her club this season, 15 of those goals coming in the league, where Gyor is set to square off against her former club Ferencvárosi Torna (FTC) in a two-game playoff to determine the champions. The first game is scheduled for Monday.

"I find this funny because 15 is my jersey number for Jamaica and 11 is my jersey number for my club so I find those the 15 goals and 11 assists pretty poetic. But my goal coming into this season was to be a Hungarian Cup winner and also to score more goals than I did last year, so I am happy that I was able to achieve both in what has obviously been a very good season," Cameron said from her base in the Central European country.

"I also had making it to the finals again on my to-do list and making history with ETO by winning the league title, something the club hasn’t done as yet and I am hopeful that we can achieve it this year.

"I’m glad that I have consistently been a key player for ETO FC Gyor since my transfer two years ago, but the work is still not done, so it's just about sticking true to the process and that mental grind that has brought me this far, as the coach can always count on me for my work rate and ability to create goal scoring opportunities for myself and my teammates whenever I'm on the field," she added.

Having defied the odds, Cameron, urged other players who maybe be faced with similar situation to never lose faith in their ability even as they pushed through what might be a down season.

"This is my third consecutive year playing in the Hungarian Playoff League final. To play overseas and achieve feats like these reminds me of how powerful the mind can be. It’s not easy playing away from home, not able to experience the warm embrace of family members when you need it the most," she shared.

"It takes a different type of mindset to embrace the change and still continue to shine and make history. There are bumps in the road and of course it’s never smooth sailing but you have to push beyond the norm and continue to shine and bring out the unique qualities you have," Cameron reasoned.

While her goal output and physical traits makes her well suited as a forward, Cameron, whose timing and vision in the box are perhaps her most outstanding assets, has also demonstrated a free-spirited and versatile approach, as she readily takes on the role as a right full-back when asked to do so for both club and country.

Interestingly, that is the role she played in Gyor's most recent win, in which she had a goal and an assist.

For Cameron, 31, that performance was somewhat of a dress rehearsal for the senior Reggae Girlz upcoming assignments, as she wants to replicate her form in Jamaica's senior Reggae Girlz setup.

"I had a great performance in that game as a wingback basically preparing myself for the summer," Cameron said in reference to the World Cup.

Donaldson, who is expected to name his final squad ahead of a two-game sendoff series on home soil next month, has shown a liking to Cameron's application in the defensive position at the Cup of Nations tournament against Australia and Czech Republic, and more recently against Sheffield United. 

"I don't know what the future holds, but my game fitness is up to par and I've proven that I'm capable of being an offensive threat and also my defensive prowess, so it will be really interesting to see how everything pans out," the jovial player noted.

Jamaica’s young Reggae Girlz chances of securing an historic FIFA Women’s Under-20 World Cup berth were dented by a 4-0 defeat to Canada in their opening Concacaf Women’s Under-20 Championships Group A fixture at the Felix Sanchez Stadium in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic on Friday.

A brace from Anabelle Chukwu (39th and 45th) and one each from leading scorer Olivia Smith (56^th) and substitute Renee Watson (90+4), made the points safe for the Canadians, who take an early lead in the group.

Reigning seven-time champions United States were leading Panama 3-0 at half-time in the second group contest at the same venue.

Canada could have won by a wider margin, had it not been for some excellent glove work by captain Liya Brooks in goal, as the Young Reggae Girlz, who were expected to use their pace and athleticism to good effect, offered very little resistance, both in defence and even more so on the attacking front.

This as the North Americans comfortably dominated possession, as they showed quality both on and off the ball and were fluent in their transitions from defence to attack.

Besides a couple of early warning shots, the young Reggae Girlz never really bothered Canada’s Faith Fenwick, who had a fairly relaxed day between the sticks.

After the Jamaicans were forced to pull Tiny Seaton, who came out worse in a head collision with teammate Njeri Lewis in the 36^th minute, Canada capitalized on the weakened defensive line and broke the deadlock when Chukwu muscled her way into the 18-yard box to easily fire past Brooks.

The powerfully built Chukwu later grabbed a second when she dispossessed Destiny Powell and made no mistakes in a one-on-one situation with Brooks, to put Canada 2-0 up at the break.

Canada maintained their momentum on the resumption and should have extended the lead four minutes in when Amanda Allen found Chukwu deep inside the six-yard box. But the striker, sporting the number nine jersey, steered her left-footer wide from point blank range.

However, they made amends in the 56^th through a nicely worked team build-up which ended with Captain Florianne Jourde laying off a pass for Smith, who drove a right-footed effort to Brooks’ weaker left side.

With space opened up for Canada’s attackers to do as they please, Jourde tried her range in the 62^nd minute with a stinging left-footer from about 20 yards out, but the effort was equally well-saved by Brooks diving full-stretch to her right.

Another shot from a distance followed soon after, this time from the left foot with that effort having Brooks beaten but came back off the crossbar.

Brooks, who has been the understudy of senior Reggae Girlz counterparts Rebecca Spencer and Sydney Schneider in recent times, again came up big to deny Kayla Briggs’ 73^rd-minute shot from close range.

However, a lapse in concentration by the defence opened the door for Canada to add another when Nyah Rose laid off a pass for the arriving Watson to finish with aplomb in time added.

With only two teams to progress from the group, the young Reggae Girlz task will be even more difficult as their next assignment will be the United States on Sunday. They will then close against Panama on May 30.

Mexico, Puerto Rico, Costa Rica and host nation Dominican Republic will decide Group B.

The two finalists and third-place team will represent the confederation at next year’s Under-20 World Cup.