KENTUCKY - The Road to Churchill Downs and the Kentucky Oaks (Grade I) has been far from smooth for trainer Richard Mandella and champion filly Halfbridled.

The road got a little bumpier Thursday at Keeneland as the 2-year-old filly champion was throttled by the Bob Baffert-trained Victory U.S.A. in the $250,000 Stonerside Beaumont (GII). The race, which is run at Keeneland's distinctive "Beard Course" distance of seven furlongs and 184 feet, saw Halfbridled spot the field 10 lengths while running last in the early going. Victory U.S.A., meanwhile, settled in fifth under Jerry Bailey and took control at the top of stretch. Halfbridled rallied on the far turn under jockey Alex Solis, but began to "lug out" and drifted wide. The Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies (GI) victress eventually grabbed second place, but finished 8 1/4-lengths behind Victory U.S.A.

"I don't know what happened," said Solis. "She just kind of took herself back. She went to lugging out on the turn. I think the turns were too sharp for her."

The loss was the second consecutive setback for Halfbridled, who was unbeaten last year and the champion 2-year-old filly of 2003. The win for Victory U.S.A., who is owned by Kentucky breeder Thomas Van Meter II, was her first win since she captured the Moccasin Stakes at Hollywood Park last November. The victory was her third in eight career starts and avenged a pair of losses to Halfbridled that included a third-place run in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies. She was coming off a runner-up finish to Ashado in the Fair Grounds Oaks (GII).

"She needed her first race this year," Baffert said. "She got washy at Fair Grounds. I told Jerry he could take her off the pace and she'd be fine. She has been doin' great. She's on her game. She finally ran like we always thought she could run."

Both fillies are expected to make their next start in the April 30 Kentucky Oaks.

NEW YORK - The race may not produce a Kentucky Oaks contender, but the $100,000 Comely (GIII) at Aqueduct attracted a promising group of 3-year-old fillies.

The major contender was expected to be Irving & Marjorie Cowan's Society Selection, who won the Frizette (GI) for Hall of Fame trainer H. Allen Jerkens. The daughter of Coronado's Quest was second to Last Song in the Bonnie Miss (GII) at Gulfstream Park.

An unknown factor is unbeaten Irish Melody, who is making her stakes debut in the race. The gray filly captured her first two starts for trainer Todd Pletcher, who also trains Oaks contender Ashado. Regular rider John Velazquez was scheduled to be in the saddle.

Other fillies that bear watching in the nine-horse field included the John Kimmel-trained Rare Gift, who was third in the Bonnie Miss; Ogden Mills Phipps' Daydreaming, who won her 2004 debut after finishing fourth to Society Selection in the Frizette; and Bending Strings, who finished fourth in Santa Anita's Santa Ynez (GII).

ARKANSAS - A field of eight 3-year-old fillies was entered in Saturday's $75,000 Instant Racing Breeders' Cup at Oaklawn Park.

The 9-5 favorite in the one mile heat is Bret Calhoun-trained Josie G. The daughter of El Amante is coming off a win the Houston Oaks at Sam Houston Park but is not nominated to the Kentucky Oaks.

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