Slides Choice tries turf in attempt to snap her skid

Slides Choice will be trying turf for the first time when she faces a full field of 12 in the $50,000 Vivacious at River Downs on Saturday.
The 2009 Ohio horse of the year and 3-year-old champion filly, Slides Choice is the 121-pound highweight in the 1 1/16-mile turf race for Ohio-bred fillies and mares, giving one to 17 pounds to her rivals.

The 4-year-old Slides Choice won 6 of 10 starts last year, but is winless in her first six starts this season. Trained by Tim Hamm, Slides Choice made her first two starts of 2010 at Gulfstream Park and the second two starts at Keeneland. Hamm returned the filly to Ohio this spring and Slides Choice finished third in the six-furlong Angora at Thistledown on May 1.

Slides Choice faced Ohio-bred company for the second time this year in her most recent out June 19 in the J.W. Petro Memorial. In that 1 1/16-mile race, Slides Choice settled for second, beaten only a neck, while earning a Beyer Speed Figure of 82. A year ago, Slides Choice earned a Beyer of 76 in the Petro, suggesting that she is back to or in better form than in 2009.

Jason Lumpkins retains the mount.

Should Slides Choice not relish the River Downs turf course, Hamm has a proven turf runner in the race in Mini Mom. Also winless this year, Mini Mom has been campaigned at Gulfstream Park, Calder, and most recently Presque Isle Downs. The return to the Ohio-bred ranks and first-time Lasix for the 6-year-old Mini Mom should benefit her greatly. Cesar Camaque will ride.