Bloodstock consultant Jack Werk dies

LEXINGTON, Ky. - California-based bloodstock consultant Jack Werk, the founder of Werk Thoroughbred Consultants and the eNicks online matings service, died of cancer on Sunday. He was 65.

In addition to providing bloodstock advice - including planning the mating that produced 1998 Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner Real Quiet for breeder Eduardo Gaviria - Werk also was the founding publisher of the monthly bloodstock journal Owner-Breeder and co-developer of the CompuSire pedigree software with Roger Lyons. More recently, Werk wrote a blog at his site . His clients also included Chuck Fipke, who had been working with Werk on a study of distance aptitude when Werk died.

Werk recently named Sid Fernando, former bloodstock editor for Daily Racing Form, as his successor at Werk Thoroughbred Consultants and eNicks.

"With the remarkable success of eNicks, Jack has left the company stronger than it's ever been," Fernando said. "We're all devastated at losing Jack, but his most heartfelt wish was that the company go on, and he put a solid plan in place that promises the Thoroughbred industry WTC's high standard of service for a long time to come."