▁ 2 ▁Prix ▁Guillaume ▁d ' Or n ano ▁at ▁De au ville ▁Race course , ▁he ▁was ▁sold ▁in ▁a ▁private ▁transaction ▁to ▁American ▁Television ▁producer ▁David ▁Mil ch . ▁ ▁United ▁States ▁Br ought ▁to ▁California , ▁Val ▁Royal ▁was ▁trained ▁by ▁Jul io ▁Can ani . ▁In ▁his ▁first ▁start ▁in ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁on ▁September ▁ 6 , ▁ 1 9 9 9 , ▁at ▁Del ▁Mar ▁R ac et rack , ▁the ▁horse ▁charged ▁from ▁far ▁back ▁to ▁win ▁the ▁Gra de ▁II ▁Del ▁Mar ▁Derby . ▁A ▁series ▁of ▁minor ▁a il ments ▁kept ▁him ▁out ▁of ▁racing ▁for ▁the ▁remainder ▁of ▁ 1 9 9 9 ▁and ▁all ▁of ▁ 2 0 0 0 . ▁Un rac ed ▁for ▁nin ete en ▁months , ▁Val ▁Royal ▁returned ▁on ▁March ▁ 3 , ▁ 2 0 0 1 , ▁finishing ▁second ▁in ▁the ▁G ▁II ▁Frank ▁E . ▁Kil roe ▁M ile ▁Hand ic ap ▁at ▁Santa ▁An ita ▁Park . ▁Once ▁again , ▁an ▁injury ▁kept ▁him ▁out ▁of ▁racing , ▁this ▁time ▁for ▁seven ▁months . ▁Return ing ▁on ▁October ▁ 7 , ▁he ▁came ▁from ▁last ▁place ▁at ▁the ▁turn ▁for ▁home ▁to ▁win ▁Santa ▁An ita ' s ▁Oak ▁Tree ▁M ile ▁St akes ▁by ▁more ▁than ▁two ▁lengths ▁ ▁in ▁a ▁quick ▁time ▁of ▁ 1 : 3 3 . 2 1 . ▁ ▁Record ▁run ▁in ▁the ▁Bre ed ers ' ▁Cup ▁M ile ▁Following ▁his ▁win ▁in ▁the ▁Oak ▁Tree