NEW YORK — Kiaran McLaughlin is hoping Charitable Man isn't in a giving mood on Belmont Stakes day.

Perhaps the top challenger to 2-1 favorite Mine That Bird in Saturday's Belmont, Charitable Man is coming into the race fresh, fit and hopefully ready to hold off any kind of finishing kick the Derby winner comes up with.

If McLaughlin sounds confident, it's because he is.

"His father won the Belmont, he's 2-for-2 at Belmont, 3-for-3 on dirt," McLaughlin said. "Should I go on?"

After Calvin Borel heard what McLaughlin had said, the jockey who guaranteed his horse, Mine That Bird, will win replied, "We'll see what happens."

Borel, who won the Derby aboard Mine That Bird and the Preakness aboard Rachel Alexandra, is attempting to become the first jockey to win all three races on different horses.

While Borel will be riding in the Belmont for the first time, McLaughlin is familiar with the 1Z\x-mile "Test of the Champion," the longest and most grueling race of them all. He's 1-for-1 in the final leg of the Triple Crown, winning the 2006 edition with Jazil, who rallied from seventh with a half mile to go for a 1Z\v-length win over Bluegrass Cat.

"I"m not trying to sound cocky or overconfident," McLaughlin said. "All I'm saying is that we have a horse whose style fits this race. With a little luck Mine That Bird would be going for a Triple Crown, so I respect that horse and all the others in the field."

Mine That Bird arrived at Belmont Park on Wednesday, hours after he was made the favorite and drew the No. 7 post position. Charitable Man is the 3-1 second choice and will line up just inside the Derby winner from the No. 6 post.

Alan Garcia, winner of the last year's Belmont aboard 38-1 shot Da' Tara, has the call on Charitable Man, who won the Peter Pan at Belmont on May 9 by rating just off the pace. The colt did not run in the Derby or Preakness.