NEW YORK - John Shirreff's first Triple Crown adventure began with "Once upon a time ... "

Can happily ever after be far behind?

"It's been a fairy tale," said Shirreffs, whose Kentucky Derby winner Giacomo will meet up with Preakness winner Afleet Alex in Saturday's Belmont Stakes. "Everything fell into place at the right time."

There may not be a Triple Crown at stake in the Belmont for the first time in four years, but the final chapter of this story has plenty of intrigue.

Giacomo pulled off an astonishing win in the Kentucky Derby at 50-1 odds, with Afleet Alex third just a length behind. Two weeks later, the acrobatic Afleet Alex nearly dropped to his knees after clipping heels with Scrappy T at the top of the stretch but regained his balance and won by 4

lengths.

"I don't go for the rematch thing much," Shirreffs said Thursday. "But it should be an interesting race to see."

Don't expect anything close to the record crowd of 125,000-plus that turned out to watch Birdstone spoil Smarty Jones' Triple try in last year's Belmont. Giacomo vs. Afleet Alex, though - plus nine other 3-year-olds all looking for a huge upset - still should have racing fans flocking to Belmont Park.

So far, the week leading up to the final leg of the Triple Crown has been a quiet one. And that's the way Shirreffs likes it. Giacomo arrived in New York Wednesday, and Shirreffs found a peaceful annex behind trainer Shug McGaughey's barn to prepare his gray colt for the 1½-mile Belmont.

Unlike the hustle and bustle of the Preakness barn at Pimlico, where the Derby winner always is center stage, this little piece of paradise - where the Phipps family stables its horses - is virtually free from media hordes and visitors.

"We were looking for a quiet place and this is it," Shirreffs said. "What's better than coming to Belmont Park and stabling in the Phipps' barn?"

Of course, had Giacomo won the Preakness and headed into the Belmont with two-thirds of the Triple Crown under his girth, there would be nowhere to hide. But after Giacomo finished third in the Preakness, Shirreffs was able to take the same tranquil approach he did before the Derby.

Shirreffs sent Giacomo back home to California for a little rest and relaxation after the Preakness and to determine whether the colt was fit enough to return for the Belmont.

"We needed to refocus and he just needed to be comfortable again," Shirreffs said. "We didn't want to feel like we had to run in the Belmont but, obviously, we wanted to."

Giacomo, it seems, hasn't lost a step. He had two workouts at Hollywood Park, one at seven furlongs and the other at six furlongs Sunday - the same training schedule Shirreffs employed at Churchill Downs before the Derby.

When the decision was made in favor of the Belmont, jockey Mike Smith knew he'd be climbing aboard a horse sitting on a big race.

"If John says he's doing good, he's doing good," Smith said. "He wouldn't send him all the way here if he wasn't."

Although he's won just two of nine races for owners Jerry and Ann Moss, Giacomo has a running style that suits Belmont's sweeping turns perfectly. Not as quick as his sire, who was also ridden by Smith, Giacomo is a relentless runner who always finishes strong.

Giacomo is the 4-1 second choice on the morning line, with Afleet Alex the 6-5 favorite. Reverberate, second in the Peter Pan Stakes two weeks ago, is the third choice at 6-1 and the other starters are 12-1 or higher.