The first Saturday of 2012 features a pair of early-season Triple Crown preps on opposite coasts.

The series of New York races leading up to the classics gets underway with the Count Fleet Stakes at a mile and 70 yards at Aqueduct. With the purse rising from $65,000 to $150,000, the event has attracted a solid field, led by Alpha and Stephanoatsee.

Alpha, trained by Kiaran McLaughlin for Goldolphin, was an impressive maiden winner at Saratoga before running second in the Champagne. He left his race in the starting gate when 11th in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile. The son of Bernardini is a major player if he arrives in top mental form here.

Stephanoatsee is a half-brother to three graded winners, including Preakness hero Shackleford and Alabama winner Lady Joanne. Trained by Graham Motion, the son of AP Indy, who broke his maiden at Laurel last fall, was seven in the Remsen last November, but was victimized by a slow pace.

New York’s prep series continues with the $200,000 Withers (G3) on Feb. 4, the $400,000 Gotham (G3) on March 3 and the $1 million Wood Memorial (G1) April 7. It will be fascinating to see how the fields shape up with these increased purses.

Meanwhile, Santa Anita cards the Grade 3 Sham Stakes, featuring the 3-year-old debut of Secret Circle. The son of Eddington went 3-for-3 in 2011, capping his season with a victory in the inaugural Breeders' Cup Juvenile Sprint. However, the one-mile Sham marks his first start beyond six furlongs - a clear turning point for the colt, owned by Mike Pegram and trained by Hall of Famer Bob Baffert.

Hierro, an impressive maiden winner at the Churchill Downs fall meet for Steve Asmussen, makes his stakes debut here. The colt is by Hard Spun, one of the top freshman sires of 2011.