Strait to Perform at Breeders' Cup Charity Gala

George Strait, a native Texan and Academy of Country Music five-time vocalist of the year, will be the featured performer at the Breeders' Cup World Thoroughbred Championships "Not Black Tie" Charity Gala Oct. 29 in Fort Worth, Texas.

The event has been dubbed "A Wild Night in Texas" as it will be held at the Fort Worth Zoo's Texas Wild! exhibit. Proceeds from the gala will benefit the Grayson-Jockey Club Research Foundation and the Texas Wild! Teacher Institute for the conservation and management of wildlife. 

The Breeders' Cup will be held the following day at Lone Star Park in Grand Prairie.

Texas Wild! is an eight-acre interactive exhibit that features six regions of Texas, their flora and fauna, and the abundance of wildlife of the state. The exhibit is home to more than 300 species native to Texas and educates visitors on the importance of wildlife conservation.

Thoroughbred owner George Strait was inducted into the Texas Cowboy Hall of Fame in 2003, the same year he received the National Medal of Arts, the nation's highest honor for artistic excellence, from President Bush.

"Historically, the Breeders' Cup Charity Gala has been black tie, but this year we will break from that tradition," Breeders' Cup president D.G. Van Clief Jr. said. "The tradition that will not change, however, is our rich heritage of supporting charitable causes."

For more information, contact Nancy Kelly at The Jockey Club at (212) 521-5305 or Denise Harmon at (817) 339-7123.