Casa Creed and Bold Journey represent Bill Mott in Dubai
In 1996, the Bill Mott-trained Cigar put the Dubai World Cup on the map in its inaugural running with that tenacious victory over Soul of the Matter at old Nad Al Sheba Racecourse.
The same year, 24-year-old Neil Poznansky was celebrating his most productive season as a jockey, winning 145 races en route to being named champion apprentice in both the United States and Canada, one of only three riders to accomplish that feat.
For the last 15 years or so since his retirement from the saddle, give or take, Poznansky has been Mott's right-hand man and made his first trip to Dubai in 2010. The horseman is back in the Emirates this week, overseeing the preparation of Casa Creed towards a second appearance in the Al Quoz Sprint (G1) and Bold Journey in the Dubai Golden Shaheen (G1).
"He's really been a sound horse and he's always had the desire to do it," Poznansky said of the eight-year-old Casa Creed, who holds the unusual distinction of being a two-time winner at home over six furlongs and at a mile. "He always runs well fresh and I think the cutback to six furlongs should not be an issue."
Twice narrowly beaten in the 1351 Turf Sprint (G3) in Saudi Arabia and fifth and not beaten far behind A Case OF You in the 2022 Al Quoz, Casa Creed makes his first start since a close third behind Master of the Seas in last year's Breeders' Cup Mile.
Bold Journey was victorious in a pair of stakes in New York in November and December to earn a trip to last month's Riyadh Dirt Sprint (G3). He finished off his race powerfully to be third to Japan's re-opposing Remake to secure his ticket to the Golden Shaheen.
The New York-bred chestnut has looked a happy horse all week and did so again Friday morning while standing at the entrance to the first turn on the Meydan Racecourse dirt track.
"The plan (to come to Dubai) was made almost immediately after the race in Saudi," Poznansky said. "He ran well there, he got bothered a bit and I thought he ran a very credible race. He made a ton of ground and was running faster than anyone late.
"He is doing well here. He shipped from Saudi to here just like he did from Florida to Saudi. He doesn't care about anything. He hasn't dropped an oat since we left Florida."
Bold Journey has the services of the legendary Frankie Dettori on Saturday. The Italian rode champion sprinter Elite Power to a win for Hall of Famer Mott in the Riyadh Dirt Sprint in 2023.
"He certainly brings a lot of knowledge of the track to the table," Poznansky said. "I think he suits the horse well. He's obviously a world-class rider and we could certainly do a lot worse."