Perennial Visitor Canani is Unofficial Ambassador for Dubai

Even though he will turn 71 in the not too distant future, Julio Canani could change careers from horse training and easily become an ambassador for Dubai.

The California-based Canani is celebrating his ninth anniversary of participating with a runner on the Dubai World Cup program, bringing grade II winner Spring House this year for the $5 million Dubai Sheema Classic (UAE-I).

"Everything is good here," Canani exclaimed just hours after flying into Dubai while watching Spring House gallop on Monday morning at Nad Al Sheba Racecourse. "If I got hired by somebody, I would work eight months of every year here."

Canani said he decided back in 2000, after saddling Ladies Din for the Dubai Duty Free (then a group III race but now a group I event worth $5 million), that he would return every year and thus has made it a "project" to find a horse to take him on the trip-which is paid for by the Dubai Racing Club, which flies and lodges all participants in luxurious style.

Since he is so interested in Dubai, Canani has followed the phenomenal growth and, recently, the incredible investment Dubai entities controlled by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al Maktoum are making in the United States and around the globe.

"In another five years, they're going to own every business in he world," Canani said. "It's unbelievable."