Brown Coffeee, under jockey Jose Nicasio, on his way to winning the Grade 1 Los Alamitos Winter Derby on Saturday night.

© William Zuazo

LOS ALAMITOS, CA–FEBRUARY 15, 2025–Runner-up in the Grade 1 Los Alamitos Two Million Futurity last December, Monte and Katsy Cluck and Ross Roark's Brown Coffeee dominated his first derby final, leading from start to finish in route to a 1 ½ length victory over Train B Taka in the Grade 1, $175,350 Los Alamitos Winter Derby on Saturday night

Bred by Silver Racing Farm LLC, the California-bred Brown Coffeee began his juvenile campaign in New Mexico before traveling to Los Alamitos in Orange County, California.

Purchased for $200,000 at the Ruidoso Yearling Sale, the gelding by Good Reason SA out of the Mr Jess Perry mare Amore La Blue has been outstanding in six starts at Los Alamitos, winning three of those outings while finishing third or better in every one of his races in Southern California.

Brown Coffeee was the fastest qualifier to the Two Million prior to running second to Lethal Cowboy 123 in the final and the second fastest qualifier to the Winter Derby before his convincing win in the 400-yard race. He earned $73,647 for the win to take his career earnings to $394,379.
 

Robert and Ross Roark accept the Los Alamitos Winter Derby stakes trophy Saturday night at Los Alamitos Race Course. © William Zuazo

"It's been generations, not just for my dad and I. It's been generations (in our family)," Roark said. "We appreciate livestock, it's what we do for a living. We appreciate good horses, fast horses. No better way than to spend it with your dad.

"We grew up in West Texas, ranchers, and we're four-five generations deep in the ranching business, My granddad raced horses and had success. My dad has had All American qualifiers and was third in the All American. He's had some good horses. I ventured off into the show world. That's what I spend my career doing and in the last 10 years I've come back into racing. You try to find horses like Brown Coffeee."

Jockey Jose Nicasio returns to the winner's encloser aboard Los Alamitos Winter Derby winner Brown Coffeee.
© William Zuazo

As an AQHA Professional Horseman, Roark has had incredible success. A halter trainer and exhibitor, Roark was the first AQHA exhibitor to earn 100 AQHA world championships in his career when he led Squires Famous Doll to a divisional title in the 2017 World Show. A member of the 2024-2025 American Quarter Horse Association Executive Committee, Roark is a specialized halter judge and has been an AQHA director representing Texas since 2010.

He was elevated to director-at-large in 2022 and has served in several committees and commissions within the Association. Roark was president of the American Junior Quarter Horse Association (now AQHYA) from 1984 to 1985.

Roark has also campaigned many racehorses during his lifetime and was part owner of AQHA champion filly Jess Walking Thru, the winner of the 2014 Grade 1 Dash For Cash Futurity and third-place finisher in that year's Two Million final.

"I've been fortunate to do what I love, and that's horses," Roark has said in previous interviews.

His partners on Brown Coffeee are Monte and Katsy Cluck, who were part of the ownership group of the four-time AQHA champion Ochoa, who at one time was the sport's all-time leading money earner.

"They are great with stock and with horses and excellent in the business world," Roark said. "Katsy and I have been friends since we were kids showing horses together. We looked at this horse in Ruidoso, and we bought him. This horse will probably go to Ruidoso. I'll probably take him home and let him rest a little bit. We'll let Dr. Tommy Hays go over him and then go to Ruidoso."   

Ridden by Jose Nicasio from post number 10, Brown Coffeee covered the distance in :19.43 for trainer Kristin Watanabe.

Brown Coffeee dominated the Winter Derby final while posting a 1-1/2 length victory at Los Alamitos Race Course. © Amber Mendez

Racing for Cheryl Stokes, Armando Arreola, and Tungsten Racing Partnership, Train B Taka earned $29,810 for running second in the Winter Derby. The gelding by Freighttrain B was ridden by Edwin Escobedo and trained by Marc Jungers.

Bred by Rancho El Cabresto, Train B Taka entered this race after winning his first three starts at Los Alamitos and entered it as the fastest qualifier after outrunning Brown Coffeee by a nose in their derby trial. He is out of the Apollitical Jess mare Apollititaka.

Johnny Trotter's Mr Jess Perry colt, Cartel Perry earned $21,042 for running third under jockey Jesus Rios Ayala. Trainer Chris O'Dell conditions the colt out of Famous Cartel Lady by Corona Cartel.

Ed Allred's Norco earned $12,274 for finishing fourth under Gabriel Lara for trainer Scott Willoughby.

The top four finishers were followed by Powerful Wise Lady, Vgk Zigfield Follies, Favorite Semental, Apollitical Bet and Jess Send Kevin.

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