Canani emigrated to the United States in 1954 and settled in California where he began working for racehorse trainer Tommy Doyle. In 1968, he obtained his trainer"s license and over the next few years earned a reputation for developing claiming horses into stakes race winners.
In 1993, having won numerous major California races including the prestigious Santa Anita Handicap, Canani took a break from racing until the spring of 1997 when he returned to operate the Nick Canani Racing Stable at Hollywood Park Racetrack. He went on to win the 1999 and 2001 editions of the Breeders" Cup Mile and in 2004 the Breeders" Cup Juvenile Fillies.
