DALLAS, TX—MARCH 6, 2012—Each year the industry eagerly anticipates March 1 to not only see a new crop of two-year-olds on the horizon, but also the new first year sires. So far this season, the first crop sires have gotten off to a quick start.

With only two weeks completion under their belts and three sets of futurity trials, the new crop of first year sires have already combined to sire six stakes qualifiers, all in graded or restricted graded competition.

Atop the inaugural Leading First Year Sires of Money Earners list for 2012 is the Grade 2 winner Coronas Leaving You. The son of Corona Cartel has sired four winners and three stakes finalists from his first 11 starters.

Among his first starters are $378,500 Oklahoma Futurity(G2) qualifier Dash For Coronas; $221,640 Harrah's Futurity(G2) qualifier Wasting No Corona; and $256,604 Mardi Gras Futurity(RG2) qualifier Downtown Corona.

Coronas Leaving You won placed in 10 of 13 career starts at 2 and 3 while earning $278,358. He won the Firecracker Futurity(G2) and 6666 Ranch Handicap and was second in the Texas Classic Derby(G1). He was also a finalist in the Texas Classic Futurity(G1) and The Championship at Sunland Park(G1). Coronas Leaving You stands at Hart Farms, near Kaplan, Louisiana.

Jet Black Patriot is sitting in the #2 position on the First Crop Sire's list this week with two winners from 23 starters. The restricted Grade 1 winner has two stakes finalist in the first two weeks of 2-year-old racing. He sired Jetblack Gold Moment to the second fastest qualifying time for the aforementioned Harrah's Entertainment Futurity(G2) and Jet Quick Fortune, the fourth fastest qualifier to the Mardi Gras Futurity(RG2).

As a two-year-old Jet Black Patriot won or placed in eight of 9 career starts earning $876,921. He won the LQHBA Futurity(RG1), Lee Berwick Memorial Louisiana Bred Futurity(RG1) and the Mardi Gras Futurity(RG2). He was also second in the Grade 1 All American Futurity to Stolis Winner. Jet Black Patriot kicked off his two-year-old career with a track record performance when he won the finals of Mardi Gras Futurity. The son of Game Patriot, stands at Robicheaux Ranch, Inc., near Breaux Bridge, Louisiana.

As it is not unusual for Louisiana accredited stallions to be early leaders on first crop sires list because racing starts a week earlier in the Bayou State due to the Mardi Gras trails each year, it is rare that these two stallions would have already each sired a stakes qualifier in open completion.

Corona Cartel is the sire of three of the top four leading first crop sires this week. Even though he is yet to get a stakes finalist, Carters Cartel is #3 after getting his first winner on Monday at Louisiana Downs (See related story).

The other Corona Cartel son is the Grade 3 stakes winner Pappasito, who has one winner, a Grade 2 finalist, from his first three starters. The royally bred Pappasito is a Grade 3 winning half-brother to champion and world champion sire Stoli. His dam Strawberry Silk won both the All American and Rainbow Futurities and was named AQHA's Racing Champion 2-Year-Old of 1989.

Pappasito's daughter Madresita was an impressive 1 ¼ length trial winner when she posted the third fastest clocking for the rich Oklahoma Futurity(G2) at Remington Park. The bay stallion stands at Lazy E Ranch, near Guthrie, Oklahoma.

The Mardi Gras finals will be held on March 10 while the Oklahoma Futurity will run on March 17 and the Harrah's Entertainment Futurity is set for March 18. A win for these young sires in any of these graded stakes would surely boost their young careers.