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Karen's Caper asserts her class in Eatontown Stonerside Stable's homebred KAREN'S CAPER (War Chant) made a course record-setting return to action in Saturday's $150,000 Eatontown S. (G3) at Monmouth Park. Unraced since October, the Bobby Frankel mare enjoyed an outside stalking trip with Brice Blanc, launched her bid leaving the far turn, and scored a comfortable half-length victory. Karen's Caper set a new course mark by reeling off 1 1/16 miles on the firm turf in 1:39.48, shaving .43 seconds off the previous record. The even-money favorite gave back $4.20, $2.80 and $2.80 while spearheading $1 exotics worth $21.80 (exacta), $80.60 (trifecta) and $414.70 (7-1-2-5 superfecta). Redaspen (Bianconi) closed well late on the outside to grab second, just a head in front of Roshani (Fantastic Light). The 18-1 runner-up paid $8.20 and $5.60, and the 5-1 third-placer returned $4.40. It was another length back to Rahys' Appeal (Rahy) in fourth. The early leader, Pommes Frites (Dynaformer), carved out splits of :24 1/5, :47 2/5 and 1:10, before tiring in the lane to wind up fifth. Royal Pleasure (Royal Academy) and Prop Me Up (Reparations) completed the order under the wire. With this third career stakes tally on her resume, Karen's Caper now sports a 14-4-5-0 mark and $622,136 in earnings. Originally based in England with John Gosden, the bay captured the 2005 Nell Gwyn S. (Eng-G3) and just missed by a whisker in the Coronation S. (Eng-G1) at Royal Ascot. In her American debut that October, she again wound up on the wrong side of the head-bob in the Queen Elizabeth II Invitational Challenge Cup S. (G1). Karen's Caper was transferred to Frankel for her 2006 campaign. She landed the Noble Damsel Breeders' Cup H. (G3) and posted game runner-up finishes in the Ballston Spa H. (G2), beaten three-quarters of a length by My Typhoon (Ire) (Giant's Causeway), and the First Lady S. (G2), where she lost another heart-breaking photo-finish, this time to Gorella (Fr). The Kentucky-bred winner is out of Grade 3 queen Miss Caerleona (Fr) (Caerleon), making her a half-sister to Grade 2 winner Miss Coronado (Coronado's Quest) and stakes-placed Stone Cat (Storm Cat).
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