NEW YORK -- Maurice Greene can't seem to help himself. Any time he has a chance to take shots at Tim Montgomery, he more than obliges.

Greene did it again Thursday as he prepared to race in the 60 meters of the Millrose Games at Madison Square Garden on Friday.

Montgomery broke the 100-meter world record in Paris on Sept. 14, finishing in 9.78 seconds -- 0.01 faster than the record Greene set in 1999.

Now, Greene is desperate to regain the mark.

''He can borrow the record, but I'll get it back,'' Greene said. ''I think he's still chasing me.''

Greene did the chasing last year. He got off to a late start in training and was distracted by the deaths of his grandmother and uncle, as well as the end of his relationship with Nike.

The British press seized on his disappointing year and called him ''Slo-Mo.''

Though the 2003 season is young, Greene got off to a good start last week at the Boston Indoor Games. He won the 60 meters in 6.52 seconds -- his first victory since July 19.

All of Greene's talking doesn't bother Montgomery, who concentrates on outdoor events and is not eager to face him at the shorter distance.

''He wants me to come indoors so he can get on my mind, but I run best outdoors,'' Montgomery has said.

''I know a lot of people out there are targeting me. ... I know the world record will be broken.''

Greene doesn't want to wait until the outdoor season.

''Set it up tomorrow -- I'll be glad to do it,'' he said.

Greene was in the stands when Montgomery broke the world record in September. Montgomery set the mark in virtually perfect conditions, and he had a tail wind of 2.0 meters a second -- the legal limit.

''The first thing I did was look at the wind gauge,'' Greene said. ''It was funny to me. I couldn't believe he did it. He had the perfect day. He had a 9.90 race and a 2.0 wind. I didn't need the wind to break the record.''

Montgomery has made headlines recently because of the association he and girlfriend Marion Jones have with track coach Charlie Francis. Francis was Ben Johnson's coach when the Canadian tested positive for steroids and was stripped of his gold medal after winning the 100 at the 1988 Seoul Olympics.

Greene doesn't seem concerned about that -- he just wants the record back.

''People have been putting too much emphasis on what they're doing,'' Greene said. ''I could care less who they train with.''

Though Montgomery won't be at the Garden on Friday, Greene will face some tough competition. Defending Millrose champion Shawn Crawford and Boston Indoor runner-up Jon Drummond are in the field.

So is Terrence Trammell, who also will compete in the 60-meter hurdles. There are about 30 minutes between races, but Trammell is not worried. The 2000 Olympic silver medalist in the 110-meter hurdles wants to race in both events more often.

The last time he ran both was on Feb. 17, 2001, in Pocatello, Idaho. He won both races. But Trammell never has raced against Greene.

''I just want to see how well I could perform in both,'' Trammell said. ''It's not the Maurice Greene dash. Everyone has the opportunity to run. Maurice has dominated for years, that goes without saying. But everyone is out there after first place.''

The hurdles race Friday won't be easy. Trammell goes against defending champion Larry Wade and 1996 Olympic gold medalist Allen Johnson.

There are other big names participating in the Millrose Games. Two-time world indoor champion Gail Devers will run the 60-meter hurdles. In the pole vault, Stacy Dragila will try to improve on the American record she set last week in Boston, and four-time Millrose champion Jeff Hartwig hopes to hold off 2000 Olympic gold medalist Nick Hysong.

''I feel great,'' said Dragila, who was hampered with a foot injury last season. ''I had a lot of help getting healthy. ... I still have a lot to give.''

In the Wanamaker Mile, defending champion Laban Rotich will go against favorite Bernard Lagat. Lagat won the 1,500 meters last week in Boston, and Rotich was second.

It is unclear whether Regina Jacobs will be able to compete in the mile. Jacobs became the first woman to break four minutes in the indoor 1,500 meters last week in Boston, finishing in 3 minutes, 59.98 seconds.

The 39-year-old Jacobs strained a muscle in her right leg during training three weeks ago and will make a decision before the meet Friday.

''I hope to be out there,'' Jacobs said. ''When I came into Boston ... when I warmed up, I didn't feel it at all. I started warming down and within four minutes it was hurting. It was really bad that night. My big goal is worlds, and I'm not going to jeopardize that by running on Friday.''

Though Greene also is not completely in top form, he is using the indoor season to prepare for the outdoors -- and reclaiming the world record.

''I'm close to 100 percent,'' Greene said. ''I'm just polishing. I think I'll get there in the next two or three races. It could be tomorrow night.''