Warm Rain's post making Tiller waver

ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Warm Rain has the highest last-out Beyer Speed Figure on turf in Saturday's $147,000 Ontario Colleen Handicap, an 86 earned in her front-running triumph over older foes in a $62,500 optional claimer. Whether she can duplicate it in a 14-horse field containing lots of speed is a question handicappers must ponder in the Ontario Colleen, a one-mile turf race for 3-year-old fillies at Woodbine.

Warm Rain has been first or second in each of her last five outings, on dirt and turf, but trainer Bob Tiller said Wednesday night he was unhappy that Warm Rain drew the 12 post and is considering scratching her.

Tiller described Warm Rain as an honest competitor who might be at her best on the grass.

"She tries hard every time," Tiller said. "She's a touch better on grass."

Elle Runaway and Saving Ground, who finished one-two in the allowance prep for the Colleen, are both in the field.

Elle Runaway benefited from setting soft fractions in the one-mile prep, which she won by four lengths with a Beyer Figure of 84.

Saving Ground, who took a one-mile allowance over firm turf in June, stalked the pace throughout the prep, which was run over a course labeled good. Trainer Gail Casselman-Cox loved the way Saving Ground drilled five furlongs over the training track in 1:00.40 last Saturday.

"She worked very well," Casselman-Cox said.

Trainer Mike Keogh will run Showstopper and Playwild in the Colleen.

Showstopper, a $300,000 yearling purchase, is exiting a maiden score going long on the dirt. She finished a close fourth when she debuted on the grass June 22, an effort Keogh said he was pleased with.

"It wasn't a bad race," Keogh said. "She got stuck down on the fence the whole way and was kind of intimidated. She's got a nice big foot on her, and she seemed to handle [grass] well that day."

Playwild comes off a closing fourth-place finish going 1 1/4 miles in the Wonder Where Stakes.

"She dropped herself a little too far out of it," Keogh said. "but she made up a lot of ground. Hopefully, she'll be a little closer to the pace this time."

Trainer Mark Frostad entered See the Wind, who was third in the Wonder Where and Breeders' Stakes; the speedy Hatpin, the 118-pound highweight; and Count to Three.

Trainer Mark Casse also will have a trio, including recent entry-level allowance winner Extra Bases, who should be prominent with an outside stalking trip.