Team Valor International's globetrotting Capla Temptress (Ire) (Lope de Vega {Ire}), who shipped to North America to capture the GI Natalma S. at Woodbine last September, will return for the GI Belmont Oaks July 7, Team Valor confirmed Monday. Conditioned by Marco Botti, the filly finished a close fourth, beaten just a half-length, in the G1 Poule d'Essai des Pouliches (French 1,000 Guineas) in her lone start of 2018 May 13. She was among the final field for last Friday's G1 Coronation S. at Royal Ascot, but was scratched on Thursday after Team Valor CEO Barry Irwin lined up a flight to New York this weekend.
Capla Temptress will be ridden by Javier Castellano in the Belmont Derby. She captured her first two starts in England for Botti last summer before running third in the G3 German-Thoroughbred.com Sweet Solera S. as a precursor to her Natalma success. She was a troubled seventh in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf S. for trainer Bill Mott before returning to Botti's care in Europe.
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