Winter claim pays off again for Gonzalez, Tucci Stables

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – For the second consecutive year, a winter claim at Gulfstream Park has resulted in a stakes win at Woodbine for trainer Nicholas Gonzalez and owner Tucci Stables.

Puntrooskie, a $50,000 claim in February, sat at the back of the pack early and looped the field en route to a five-length victory in Sunday’s $127,750 Woodstock Stakes.

“It didn’t surprise me that he won, but it was the way he won,” Gonzalez said. “There were some good horses behind him.”

Gonzalez and Tucci Stables had similar success last season, claiming Midnight Aria for $35,000 at Gulfstream in January 2013 and winning the $1,001,600 Queen’s Plate with him almost six months later.

With a lack of sprint options available to stakes-caliber 3-year-olds at Woodbine, Gonzalez might be forced to stretch out Puntrooskie for his next start. The next open 3-year-old stakes is the 1 1/16-mile Marine Stakes on May 25, but the racing office could write an earlier overnight race, such as the Wando Stakes, traditionally at 1 1/16 miles.

“You don’t have a lot of options, but if you want to stretch him out, you have to go from three-quarters to the Wando or something like that,” Gonzalez said.