Tuscany, Travers and Tickets to the Tony Awards up for Auction at Belmont Stakes Charity Celebration

Thursday's Belmont Stakes Charity Celebration, featuring "The Foods of Bobby Flay," will feature not only gourmet fare at Bar Americain in New York City but also a host of unique auction items.

The Belmont Stakes Charity Celebration benefits the Grayson-Jockey Club Research Foundation, which is the nation's leading source of private equine research funding and helps all breeds of horses, and the Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation (TRF), which is the largest equine sanctuary in the world and is devoted to the rescue, retirement, rehabilitation and retraining of Thoroughbreds.

Among the items to be auctioned off will be stallion seasons to Animal Kingdom, Ghostzapper, Kitten's Joy and Mineshaft, and travel experiences to the American Music Awards in Los Angeles, the Tony Awards in New York City, a Breeders' Cup Extravaganza package including private round-trip jet travel to Southern California, a one-week dream vacation in a villa in Tuscany, and a Travers Weekend Spectacular in Saratoga Springs, N.Y.

"These items offer opportunities that attendees at our event may not otherwise get to experience," said Ed Bowen, president of the Grayson-Jockey Club Research Foundation. "More importantly, the winning bids will benefit two worthwhile charities in the Thoroughbred industry."

"Equine retirement is extremely important to me, and I think everyone involved in the Thoroughbred industry bears some responsibility for the well-being of horses," said Flay. "Grayson-Jockey Club Research Foundation and the Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation are both terrific equine charities and I'm proud to support them through this event."

Flay has also created a special drink called Bobby's Belmont Tea, which contains gin, iced tea, white peach purée, agave syrup, lemon, and mint. A special refillable cup of the cocktail will be available with a $500 donation (also benefitting the TRF and Grayson-Jockey Club Research Foundation). At the end of the night, the refillable cup can be exchanged for a pair of lead-glass crystal glasses signed by Flay.

Bar Americain is located at 152 W. 52nd Street between Sixth and Seventh Avenues in New York City.

Tickets for the charity celebration are priced at $400 per person.

Additional information about the event can be obtained by visiting grayson-jockeyclub.com or by contacting Nancy Kelly of Grayson-Jockey Club Research Foundation at (212) 521-5305 or nkelly@jockeyclub.com or Sue Finley at (732) 747-8060 or suefinley@aol.com.