  A so-called special generic map is by definition a map of smooth manifolds
all of whose singularities are definite fold points. It is in general an open
problem posed by Saeki in 1993 to determine the set of integers $p$ for which a
given homotopy sphere admits a special generic map into $\mathbb{R}^{p}$.
  By means of the technique of Stein factorization we introduce and study
certain special generic maps of homotopy spheres into Euclidean spaces called
standard. Modifying a construction due to Weiss, we show that standard special
generic maps give naturally rise to a filtration of the group of homotopy
spheres by subgroups that is strongly related to the Gromoll filtration.
Finally, we apply our result to concrete homotopy spheres, which particularly
answers Saeki's problem for the Milnor $7$-sphere.
