DENYING TRIPLE CROWN IS MCCARRON'S AIM.

Byline: Kevin Modesti Daily News Staff Writer

Chris McCarron is just like the rest of the would-be spoilers. He'd like to see Silver Charm win the Belmont Stakes and the Triple Crown. He'd love to be the one to stop him.

``If Touch Gold does not win the Belmont (Stakes),'' the jockey said of his horse, ``if something happens or he's not good enough, I hope Silver Charm wins because it would be a big shot in the arm for our sport.''

That's if.

Only Silver Charm can earn the $5 million bonus and join 11 thoroughbred immortals by winning the Triple Crown. But any of the seven colts in the race can make history.

One of the other six could deny a popular horse a Triple Crown, and join Easy Goer (who left Sunday Silence second in 1989), Arts and Letters (Majestic Prince, '69), Stage Door Johnny (Forward Pass, '68), Cavan (Tim Tam, '58), and Bounding Home (Pensive, '44) on the honor roll of Belmont villains.

Richard Mandella, trainer of likely Belmont front-runner Wild Rush, knows how it feels to disappoint the fans.

Last August at Del Mar, Mandella-trained Dare and Go won the Pacific Classic over Cigar, denying the people's horse a record-tying 17th straight victory.

It feels ``good,'' Mandella said. Later, he acknowledged that some think such a win must be bittersweet, but said with a straight face, ``I'll live with it.''

Added Wayne Catalano, trainer of Crypto Star: ``This is no popularity contest.''

David Hofmans, who trains Touch Gold, won the '96 Breeders' Cup Classic at Woodbine with Alphabet Soup as Cigar finished third in his career finale.

Hofmans said that if Touch Gold wins today, he won't be spoiling history, he'll be protecting it.

``I think a Triple Crown would be a fantastic thing for racing,'' Hofmans said. ``But he (Silver Charm) has to earn it. If wants to be put in with the Seattle Slews and the Secretariats and the Affirmeds, he's got to earn it.

``We're here to keep Silver Charm honest, and keep the sport honest.''

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Photo

Photo: Frank McNair feeds a carrot to Touch Gold, the horse he co-owns and could upset Silver Charm in today's Belmont.

Associated Press