NEW MEXICO - With the defection of the heavily favored Yearly Report, the door was left wide open for a new star to emerge in Saturday's $250,000 WinStar/Sunland Park Oaks.

Local hero Speedy Falcon seized that opportunity as the daughter of Jeblar led wire-to-wire in a six-length romp over post time favorite Sister Swank. G. Chris Coleman's chestnut filly upped her impressive record to six wins in seven lifetime starts as she covered the mile over a "fast" track in 1:36.57.

Trainer Henry Dominguez is unclear on where Speedy Falcon might run next. She is not nominated to the Kentucky Oaks (GI), although she could be made a supplemental nominee for a fee of $25,000. The win in the Sunland Park Oaks launched a huge weekend Sunland Park-based jockey Ricardo Jamie. He capped the weekend with an upset win aboard Hi Teck Man in Sunday's $500,000 WinStar Derby.

Golden Eagle Farm's Yearly Report was scratched from the Sunland Park Oaks by trainer Bob Baffert after the General Meeting filly "tied up" following a routine gallop at Santa Anita on Wednesday. She was treated with a tranquilizer to help her relax. It is not known when or where the winner of the Santa Ynez (GII) would return to competition or how the scratch might affect her chances of making the Kentucky Oaks.

CALIFORNIA - Wertheimer Farm's 2-year-old filly champion Halfbridled got in her final workout before running in Saturday's Ashland (GI) at Keeneland in a brisk move on Monday at Santa Anita.

The daughter of 1990 Kentucky Derby winner Unbridled zipped a half-mile in :47.20, the fastest of 33 moves at the distance. That time was faster than works at the distance by Kentucky Derby (GI) hopeful Odds On and multiple stakes winner Olmodavor.

The Richard Mandella-trained Halfbridled is coming off a runner-up finish to Silent Sighs in the Santa Anita Oaks (GI), the first loss of her career. She was unbeaten in four races in 2003 and capped that perfect freshman season off with an impressive victory in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies (GI).

The Julio Canani-trained Silent Sighs also worked on Monday. The California-bred daughter of Benchmark breezed three-eighths of a mile in :35.00, the second-fastest work of 15 at the distance. Silent Sighs will not run again before the Kentucky Oaks, joining Hollywood Story, fourth in the Santa Anita Oaks, and the Baffert-trained Class Above, winner of the Bourbonette Breeders' Cup at Turfway Park, among fillies that are training up the Kentucky Oaks, which will be run on April 30.

KENTUCKY - The presence of the champion Halfbridled would have made Saturday's 67th running of the Ashland (GI) one of the week's top racing events in any circumstances, but a stellar field of opponents that is being assembled for the Keeneland race is clearly the strongest of the year in the 3-year-old filly division.

Bruce Lunsford's unbeaten Madcap Escapade heads the list of those who hope to hand the champion her second consecutive loss. The daughter of Hennessy's three wins include a 4-3/4 length victory in Gulfstream's Forward Gal (GII). Other likely Ashland contenders include Fair Grounds Oaks (GII) winner Ashado; Forward Gal runner-up La Reina; House of Fortune, a 17-length winner of the California Oaks at Golden Gate Fields; and Last Song, winner of Gulfstream Park's Bonnie Miss (GII).

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