Backed by full books of top mares and some of the best looking yearlings seen in 2010, Corinthian appears poised for outstanding first crop success.

The Blood-Horse MarketWatch reports that Corinthian was the #1 Freshman Sire in his class by percentage of profitable yearlings and by number of profitable yearlings. He was also the #1 Freshman Sire in his stud fee range by median yearling price.

Corinthian had 70 of his first crop yearlings sell for an average of $83,321, nearly 3 ½ times his 2011 stud fee. Individuals sold for $425,000, $350,000, and $335,000, and buyers included some of the most prominent names in racing, including Mark Casse, Centennial Farms, Dapple Bloodstock, Dogwood, Flying Zee, Gainesway, Greathouse Bloodstock, Jay Em Ess, D. Wayne Lukas & Bill Parcells, Earle Mack, Mercedes Stable, Patrice Miller, Repole Stables, Team Valor, and Zayat Stables.

The second crop by Corinthian was also well received, as his 15 weanlings averaged $72,644, with purchasers led by Jeff Bonde, Bruce Lunsford, Preston Madden, and Carl Nafzger. Corinthian's third crop are not yet on the ground, but he was covering sire on a $625,000 Keeneland November mare.

Renowned pedigree expert Lauren Stich singled out Corinthian in her picks for the top sire prospects of 2011, noting in her Dec. 6 column: “Corinthian was much more than a miler, but his best races came in the two most prestigious mile races in this country – the Metropolitan Handicap and the Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile. By Pulpit – an emerging sire of sires with young sons at stud such as Tapit, Purge and Sky Mesa – out of an Easy Goer mare, Corinthian has Easy Goer's flashy copper coloring…his third dam, stakes winner, Number, was a full sister to stakes winner, Bound, and these two sisters had as their half-siblings, champion Nureyev, and 2-year-old Irish champion filly, Fairy Bridge – the dam of champion, Sadler’s Wells. A pedigree just doesn't get any more purple than this.”

Earlier in the year, Byron Rogers also tabbed Corinthian as one to watch, saying: “I'm a big fan of Corinthian...he ticks a lot of boxes.”

Corinthian has bred over 150 mares every year at stud, and his mates’ Comparable Production Index has escalated each year, including a 3.14 CPI for 2009, and 3.20 CPI in 2010. Corinthian will stand the 2011 season for $25,000 live foal, payable when foal stands and nurses.