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WERK NICK RATINGS®
Over the years Werk Nick Ratings® have
proven to be an invaluable tool in the
stallion selection process and in
identifying horses for purchase.
Affinity between sire-lines was long ago
observed by some of the world’s best
thoroughbred breeders. Today we are able
to quantify what was once only a
subjective judgment based on the
observations of a relatively small
population.
Werk Nick Ratings® are essentially that
objective measurement of the success, or
lack therefore, of sire-line crosses.
Success, in this case, being the winners
of unrestricted stakes races with a
purse of at least $40,000. With our
unique database, containing the
pedigrees of all such winners since 1977
(nearly 30,000 winners), we are able to
easily measure what sire-line crosses
have succeeded in producing stakes
winners and compare those numbers with
the stakes winning population on the
whole.
Often a sire line may appear to be
successful with a particular broodmare
sire line. However, if the level of
success is no better than that line’s
success with the entire population, then
there is not a true nick.
In order to codify the Nick Ratings for
easier use, a letter-grade scale was
developed. As in the scholastic setting,
the scales ranges from A through F with
A+ and A++ possible in some instances.
The percentages shown below the
deviation from the norm that has been
observed by the sire-line cross in
question. On this scale -15% to +15% (C)
is considered average, meaning that the
sire-line cross has yielded results that
are statistically no better and no worse
than what would be expected with the
entire population.
It must be stressed that a below
“Average” Werk Nick Rating® does not
guarantee or even predict failure. It
means only that, to date, the particular
sire-line cross has fallen at least 16%
short of what would be expected. Nicks
can and do change over time.
Consequently, an above Average Nick
Rating must be kept in proper
perspective as there are other factors
that must be considered when arranging a
mating or selecting a horse for
purchase.
The
Werk Nick Rating® Scale is shown below:
|
Werk Nick |
Horse |
Variant |
|
A++ |
Superior |
+1501 |
|
A+ |
Superb |
+500 to +1500 |
|
A |
Outstanding |
+150 to +499 |
|
B+ |
Very Good |
+100 to +149 |
|
B |
Good |
+50 to +99 |
|
C+ |
Acceptable |
+16 to +49 |
|
C |
Average |
-15 to +15 |
|
D+ |
Weak |
-16 to -34 |
|
D |
Poor |
-35 to -49 |
|
F |
Unsuccessful |
-50 |
|
0 SW |
Zero Stakes Winners |
0 SW |
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