LOS ALAMITOS, CA–NOVEMBER 24, 2024–"Coffee is for closers" is one of the most famous lines in the 1992 film Glengarry Glenn Ross. When it came to trials to the Grade 1, $1,832,950 Los Alamitos Two Million Futurity Brown Coffeee was sizzling hot at the start and just as good when closing mightily on the way to a robust 1 ¾ length victory in the ninth of 12 trials to the meet's richest race here on Sunday night.

Owned by the partnership of Monte and Katsy Cluck and Ross Roark, Brown Coffeee was certainly the flavor of the night, as he led every step of the 400-yard on the way to posting the top time of :19.765.

The gelding by champion sire Good Reason SA out of the Mr Jess Perry mare Amore La Blue enjoyed his second victory in three outings at Los Alamitos with his strong local efforts following several strong starts in the major futurity trials at Ruidoso Downs.

Brown Coffeee will now look to match his sire's accomplishment of winning California's richest Quarter Horse when he returns to lead an exceptional field of juveniles in the Los Alamitos Two Million final on Sunday, December 15.

He has the genes to do so after his sire Good Reason SA won the 2009 running of the Two Million. His dam, the graded stakes placed mare Amore La Blue, ran third in the Grade 1 Golden State Million Futurity final and was third in her trial to the Two Million in 2013.

Bred by Silver Racing Farm, LLC., Brown Coffeee was purchased for $200,000 at the Ruidoso Select Yearling Sale last year. His first three starts came in New Mexico and his efforts included a second-place finish in a trial to the Grade 1 All American Futurity and a third in his trial to the Grade 1 Rainbow Derby trials.

At the Orange County oval, Brown Coffeee won his local debut by 1 ½ lengths before finishing third as the favorite in a trial to the Golden State Million Futurity that also included American Dreamin, who would then win the million-dollar final.

"The horse really ran well," said Heath Taylor, who trains Brown Coffeee. "You never go into a race of his caliber anticipating of having the fastest time, but he looked like he was really sitting on a big effort. He's had the eye of the tiger the last week. I thought he was awesome in his maiden win here. He had some problems in his Golden State Million trial. He ran a lackluster third. We were high on him and just had a rough week that week. He's been training good since then. I was getting a little worried because in the sixth, seventh, and eighth trials, the times were starting to slow down. The wind had stopped so I was starting to get worried, but good horses made good luck."

"I really like those horses (by Good Reason SA)," Taylor added. "We bought a full brother and a half-brother to this horse a the (2024) Ruidoso Sale because we really like this horse quite a bit. The Good Reason SA typically mature this time of year. They're probably not Kindergarten type horse, 300 yards. They have a lot of Thoroughbred blood to him so the horse should make a nice horse this winter and should be even better derby horse next year."

Monte and Katsy Cluck have enjoyed great success in Quarter Horse racing as part of the ownership group of AQHA champion Ochoa, the 2012 All American Futurity and Rainbow Futurity winner and earner of more than $2.78 million. 

Roark has been involved in many racing partnerships during his time as owner with Brown Coffeee as one of his biggest success stories.

"They're super owners," Taylor added. "They let you do your job. When they sent the horse out and said to just do the best you can. They always supply you with really nice horses and we're really grateful for them."

Jose Nicasio piloted Brown Coffeee.

Marc Junger's tremendous campaign continued in the Los Alamitos Two Million trials after Lethal Cowboy 123, who ran second to American Dreamin in the Golden State Million, defeated a field that included the previously unbeaten Up To Party in the 10th trial of the night.

Owned by Caliche Walls Venture, Alan Isbell, Lance Bland and Jimmy Barton, Lethal Cowboy 123 lugged out from the outside post nine in this trial but still posted a ¾ length victory in a time of :19.792.

Bred by Veronica Gail Kawananakoa, the gelding by Flying Cowboy 123 out of the First Down Dash mare Pretty Lethal was picking up his fourth win in seven career starts. He also posted a 1 ¾ length win in his trial to the Golden State Million.

For Jungers, this has been a career year. The trainer has won 48 races this year for earnings of nearly $2 million. In addition to Lethal Cowboy 123, his top runners this season have included Grade 1 winners Asscher, Relentless Eagle and Shakers No Secret, who will race in next month's Champion of Champions.

"It's been crazy," Jungers said of his season. "From being evacuated from Ruidoso (because of New Mexico wildfires) to now just being on an unbelievable high. We got lucky and dead-heated for the win in the Dash For Cash Derby with Asscher and Relentless Eagle. They then came back and won their specific derbies, the Texas Classic Oaks for Asscher and the Texas Classic Derby for Relentless Eagle. What a heck of an end of the year for us."

"I was a little nervous when (Lethal Cowboy 123) broke because he kind of ducked in and then drifted out. Once he got laid out and leveled, he really came running. We knew he had a lot in him so we'll see what happens. He loves the distance and can go down the racetrack."

Edwin Escobedo was aboard Lethal Cowboy 123.

Owned by Rodrigo Ayala, Guadalupe Bujanda and Jose Flores, the Walk Thru Fire colt Walking Tool remained undefeated in four career starts while posting the third fastest qualifying time when winning the fourth trial of the night. Flores saddled the George and Ruben Villalobos-bred standout, who led from gate to wire to win by an impressive 1 ¾ lengths while covering the 400 yards in :19.824.

Walking Tool came into this race after winning the Ah Sigh Handicap held at this distance on October 27. He won the Ah Sigh by a half-length and before that he scored in an allowance event by ¾ lengths and a maiden race by 1 ¼ lengths. Just like he had in his first three starts, Cruz Mendez piloted Walking Tool to victory in this event.

"He's real professional all the time and does everything right," Flores said. "He's got big competition like Cowboy and Brown Coffeee, who one of my owners bred, Silver Racing Farms. Brown Coffeee is a really nice horse. They keep breeding some good horses for the market. We need these kinds of horses. It's good for everybody. It's all going to come down to the night of the final and I just hope he stays on a good path and just keeps improving every time like he had. If he does maybe we'll see some great things from him."

Gamaliel Garza Garcia's Devils Tower won the opening trial of the night by ¾ lengths while covering the distance in :19.830 to set the fourth fastest qualifying time. Ridden by Martin Arriaga for trainer Juan Aleman, the colt by Favorite Cartel is out of the great broodmare Babe On The Fly, who has produced Grade 1 winners Rock You and Little Talks. 

Devils Tower was third in the Grade 1 Ed Burke Million Futurity earlier this year. He came into this race after running second in his trial to the Golden State Million on October 5.

"It takes him a while to get going, but when he leaves gate and stays out of trouble, he finishes strong," Aleman said. "After running in the first trial, we were just content that he held on."

Devils Tower's owner, Garza Garcia, paid a Los Alamitos Equine Sale record $850,000 for a Favorite Cartel colt out of the great Remember Me Rose. Devils Tower could win a good portion of that back on Two Million night, as the winner will earn $758,499.

Aleman also saddled Gentry Farms' Ohana Spirit, who qualified with the ninth fastest time. The Tempting Dash filly out of Heartbeat ran in the Rainbow Futurity and was fourth in the $200,000 All American Juvenile on Labor Day when trained by John Stinebaugh.

Aleman took over the training duties when she arrived before the Golden State Million trial, where she finished fifth after a troubled trip.

"They always need an out here, I feel when coming from the mountain," he added. "She had a hard campaign out there. She needed a break, then ran in the Golden State trials and got in trouble. She lost her path, but she showed that when she gets out she can run also."

Martin Arriaga was aboard both Devils Tower and Ohana Spirit.

Flying Cowboy 123 is also the sire of fifth fastest qualifier Cowboy Bolt, the big winner in trial three for owner J. Francisco Diaz and his son, Lindoldo. Jesus Rios Ayala piloted the Chuck or Cyndi Thomson-bred Cowboy Bolt. This will be his first futurity final, but he's been in the money in all six of his career starts now.

Mario Montiel's Show N Tell Cartel is the Cinderella story of the night. The gelding by first-crop sire  Tell Cartel and out of Celtic Rhythm was second to Walking Tool in the Ah Sigh and now has qualified to the Two Million following her runner-up effort to Lethal Cowboy 123 in the 10th trial.

The Elena Andrade-trained gelding was claimed for $16,000 out of the Los Alamitos Claiming Futurity. She's the second graduate of the Claiming Futurity, Hay Shaker being the other, to also qualify to the Two Million final. Cesar Franco was aboard Show N Tell Cartel.

Dunn Ranch's American Dreamin will look for a futurity double at Los Alamitos after winning the Golden State Million and now having a spot in the Two Million finalist.

Ridden by Armando Cervantes for trainer Monty Arrossa, the homebred American Dreamin is undefeated in four starts at Los Alamitos and could become the highest-earning 2-year-old filly in 2024 with a big effort in the final.

Currently, Up To Party is the leading money-winning filly this season with over $534,000. American Dreamin is not too far behind her with over $450,000. American Dreamin also joins Ohana Spirit and Apolitical Chilitas as the only fillies in this race.

One of the biggest winners on trial night was Licon Farm and Ranch LLC's Apolitical Chilitas, as the filly by Apollitical Jess won the shake for the 10th and final sport to the Two Million final.

Apolicital Chilitas needed some luck to advance after she finished in a dead-heat for second place when facing Brown Coffeee in the trials.

After that dead-heat finish with Johnny Trotter's Apprehensive, the two had identical times of :19.997. The shake was held at the end of the trials with Lady Luck smiling on Apolitical Chilitas and her connections. Cruz Mendez rode Apolitical Chilitas for Jose Flores.

Also advancing to the final is Keith Nellesen's My Budd after his runner-up effort to Cowboy Bolt in trial number three. Bred by McColee Land & Livestock, the Heath Taylor-trainee is by KVN Corona and out of Budder Think Twice.

This will be his third futurity final of the year after running second in the Grade 2 Robert Adair Kindegarten and fifth in the Grade 1 Ed Burke Million. Rodrigo Sigala Vallejo piloted My Budd.

CLICK HERE for the list of Los Alamitos Two Million Futurity qualifiers with times, sires, dams, owners, breeders, trainers and jockeys.

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For more information, please contact larace@losalamitos.com. You can also follow us on Twitter or Instagram at @losalracing or visit us online at www.losalamitos.com.