Quiet Meadow a strong backup at Philly

One way or another, New York-based trainer Chad Brown figures to be a prominent player in Monday's $200,000 Dr. James Penny Memorial Handicap at Philadelphia Park.

Among the eight fillies and mares entered in the 1 1/16-mile turf race, Brown has two prime contenders in Maram, winner of the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf in 2008, and Quiet Meadow, who has missed winning a trio of Grade 3 stakes by a half-length or less in the past 13 months.

Brown is likely to start just one runner in Monday's race. The 4-year-old Maram was cross-entered in Sunday's $100,000 Miss Liberty at Monmouth Park. Brown said on Friday that she was likely to run in that spot and scratch from the Dr. Penny.

Two others, Sweet Theresa and Chestoria, were also cross-entered in Sunday's Miss Liberty.

despite the expected absence of Maram, Brown still has a solid threat in the 5-year-old Quiet Meadow. Last year, she missed by a neck in the Grade 3 Eatontown at Monmouth and was nosed out in the Grade 3 Noble Damsel at Belmont Park. In her lone start this year, the Grade 3 Gallorette Handicap at Pimlico, Quiet Meadow got within a head of the leader at the eighth pole, then hung and settled for second.

As usual, trainer Bill Mott is bringing in a big threat for this stakes, Scolara. Mott won the 2006 running with 2-5 favorite Pommes Frites and was second in 2008 with Sharp Susan at 8-5, then third with Scolara last year.

The 5-year-old Scolara, who made up slightly more than a dozen lengths in the final 4 1/2 furlongs of last year's race, has been second or third in her last three starts, including the Eatontown and the Grade 3 Beaugay in her two most recent races.

Cherokee Queen, based in Florida with high-percentage trainer Marty Wolfson, faces softer competition after losing by less than two lengths despite traffic trouble in the stretch of the Grade 1 Just a Game a month ago at Belmont.

The Pennsylvania-bred mare Always for Love merits respect on the basis of her 6-for-9 record over her home turf course. She romped in the restricted Mrs. Penny last year and followed up by running second in the Grade 3 Violet at the Meadowlands. She tuned up for this spot by winning a fourth-level optional $50,000 claimer on June 19.