Walnridge’s Dr. Meirs particularly bullish on his Cattlewash yearlings
by Matthew Lomon
Ready to showcase a roster of 32 yearlings at this year’s Standardbred Horse Sales Company’s (SHSC) auction in Harrisburg, PA, Dr. Richard Meirs of Walnridge Farm is balancing enthusiasm with perspective.
“I feel very confident that we have a really, really outstanding bunch of horses – in terms of conformation, body type and overall quality,” Meirs said. “I’m always a little nervous about the middle market because most of my horses will fall into that price range. That middle market can be very shaky and I’m not 100 per cent sure that there’s going to be enough money to go around for the middle market horses, so I’m cautiously optimistic there, but I’m also hopeful that we’ll find enough money to stabilize the horses that we have.”
Among the cast of yearlings offered by the nearly 200-year-old Cream Ridge, NJ-based operation, Meirs is particularly bullish on the prospects of his Cattlewash progeny.
Hip #259 Twin Jets, out of Jeremes Jet mare Twin B Elite, is already showing head-turning potential.
“This Cattlewash colt, his mare is a little bit older, but he is undoubtedly one of the best-looking yearlings I have to sell,” Meirs said. “Cattlewash has had an absolutely sensational season, and in addition to that, the mare has produced very well crossed with Cattlewash. I’m extremely happy with him.”
Alongside Meirs’ Cattlewash contingency is a deep cache of babies by Stay Hungry and Pebble Beach.
“Stay Hungry has tagged his babies tremendously and they’re very good-looking individuals,” Meirs said. “I think he’s had a bounce back year this year and I’m intrigued to see how his yearlings sell at Harrisburg this year.
“I also have a handful [three] of Pebble Beach’s that are standout individuals. I love Pebble Beach as an individual, I did some work on him when he was racing. I’m very pleased with the way the Pebble Beach’s have sorted out.”
The Stay Hungry menu is comprised of pacing colts Hip #95 Pay The Juice, out of A Rocknroll Dance mare Dancethenightaway, and Hip #702 Legion De Vie out of Well Said mare Chillin It De Vie, as well as a trio of pacing fillies in Hip #433 Milly Rocks (Her Music Rocks), Hip #643 Bonbon Chiffon (Above Average), and Hip #796 Cafe De Flore (Jenny’s Terror).
Pay The Juice manages to be both an eye-catcher and something of a sleeper.
“There’s no question that he is likely going to slide a little bit under the radar because that’s a young mare,” Meirs said. “The production that she has on her page doesn’t show that much, but I think he’s got a bright future.
“He’s very well conformed and I’m very happy with him.”
The promising Pebble Beach trio is made up of pacing colt Hip #478 Counting Pebbles (Literally Hanover), and pacing fillies Hip #47 Beach Book (Well Read) and Hip #505 Feather Ideal (Native Ideal).
Walnridge Farm’s leading sire, at least by quantity, is Huntsville with six.
Meirs, who is high on the former world champion pacer’s siring capabilities, said his progeny “has always done well and continues to excel,” and singled out two in particular.
“I have a Huntsville filly out of a mare named Handsoffmybrownie [Huntingforbrownies, Hip #426], which is a great family, and a Huntsville colt out of We Are Dreaming [Dream Hunter, Hip #46].
“Both are absolute standout individuals and I’m very bullish on both of them.”
Another interesting tidbit about Walnridge Farm’s 2025 consignment is that all but five are dual eligible.
Meirs noted that flexibility is important as competition continues to grow stronger.
“I think it helps,” he said. “It sounds to me as though the Kentucky buzz has quieted quite a bit because of the astronomical cost to take staff and horses to Kentucky — and they have to go incredibly fast — but from what I saw in the way the markets fluctuated in Kentucky, it appears as though the buyers, at this point anyway, are still actively interested in having dual eligible individuals.”
An upbeat Meirs is eager to see how it all unfolds, beginning on Monday (Nov. 3).
“I’m looking forward to getting to the sale and seeing how the market holds up,” he said. “I think we’re going to have a really good sale. I’m very excited.”
