the first crack at (something)
The first chance to do something. I let them have the first crack at producing my film, but they weren't interested, so I took my script to another studio.
*first crack at something
Fig. the first opportunity at doing, fixing, or having something. (*Typically: get ~; have ~; give someone ~; take ~; want ~.) I'll take the first crack at it, and if I can't do it, you can try.