Undefeated champion Frankel hurt himself during a Wednesday workout at Newmarket in England, but his connections deemed the injury “superficial,” and if that is the case, Frankel would have plenty of time to get back on track and make his scheduled 2012 debut in the Lockinge Stakes on May 19 at Newbury.

Henry Cecil, who trains the Juddmonte Farms homebred, said in a statement to Press Association Sport that Frankel “hit himself,” striking his right foreleg with his right hind leg, while working Wednesday. No more specific description of the injury was made public.

Glenye Cain Oakford

The Inglis Easter yearling sale ended Thursday in Sydney, Australia, with losses across the board after selling a third million-dollar yearling.

An about $1,248,000 ($1.2 million Australian) half-brother to Australia’s two-time Horse of the Year Makybe Diva topped the final session Thursday. Trainer Peter Moody bought the Street Cry colt in the name of his Moody Racing after fending off a strong challenge from fellow trainer Gai Waterhouse.

The races may be on opposite sides of the world, but the winner of Saturday’s Group 1 T.J. Smith Stakes at Randwick Racecourse in Australia will receive a fees-paid berth to the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint at Santa Anita in November.

Part of the Breeders’ Cup Challenge program, the $1.02 million Smith Stakes is the first race of the year to offer a berth in the BC Turf Sprint, provided the winner is nominated to the Breeders’ Cup program or is made eligible later this year.

The Smith is run over about six furlongs and has drawn a field of six.

Big Buck’s can break a 60-year record for most consecutive wins by a National Hunt horse in England when he starts as a heavy favorite in Thursday’s Grade 1 Liverpool Hurdle at Aintree Racecourse, near Liverpool.

The Liverpool Hurdle is one of the top races on the first day of a three-day meeting highlighted by Saturday’s world-famous Grand National, run over four miles and four furlongs over fences.

The Liverpool Hurdle is run over three miles over smaller, easier obstacles.

The 4-year-old filly Giofra got the better of her stablemate Vadamar, winning the Group 2 Prix d’Harcourt on Sunday at Longchamp in France by three lengths, and giving trainer Alain de Royer-Dupre a sweep of the top two placings.

Gentildonna won her second stakes of the year, and first at the highest level, in Sunday’s $2.3 million Japanese 1000 Guineas, the Oka Sho, at Hanshin Racecourse.

Gentildonna was ridden by Yasunari Iwata, who guided the filly from midpack in a field of 18 to win the Group 1 Japanese 1000 Guineas by a half-length over Verxina. The first two fillies are by Deep Impact.

I’m Yours finished third, beaten a length, with Joie de Vivre, the 13-10 favorite and the champion 2-year-old filly of 2011, only sixth.

[bc_video_id:248355:]Pierro, an Australian-bred colt by Lonhro, caught longshot pacesetter Snitzerland in the final sixteenth to win Saturday’s $3.57 million Golden Slipper Stakes at Rosehill Gardens in Australia.

The Group 1 Golden Slipper, run over six furlongs on turf, is the world’s richest 2-year-old race.

Promising 4-year-old Vadamar heads a compact field entered in the Group 2 Prix d’Harcourt on Sunday at Longchamp.

Joie de Vivre, Japan’s champion 2-year-old filly of 2011 and a half-sister to the super mare Buena Vista, is the expected favorite in Sunday’s Grade 1 Japanese 1000 Guineas at Hanshin Racecourse.

Known as the Oka Sho, the Japanese 1000 Guineas is worth approximately $2.3 million and is run over about a mile on a right-handed track.

Joie de Vivre has won 2 of 3 starts. Unbeaten in two starts at 2, including a win in the Grade 1 Hanshin Juvenile Fillies, Joie de Vivre finished third in the Grade 3 Tulip Sho over about a mile at Hanshin on March 3.

Samaready, a 2-year-old filly by More than Ready, has inherited the role of favorite for Saturday’s $3.57 million Golden Slipper Stakes at Rosehill Gardens racecourse in Australia, following the defection of leading rival All Too Hard.

All Too Hard is expected to start in a stakes later this month. Without him, Samaready, the winner of three group stakes this year, will be the choice in the world’s richest race for 2-year-olds. The Group 1 Golden Slipper is run over about six furlongs on turf, and has drawn a field of 16.