Update: Twin foals ready to celebrate 1st birthday

Jurassic Venus and Jurassic Serena, the pair of Long Tom twins, who were foaled on January 30 of this year, will soon be celebrating their birthdays, and harness racing breeder Jerry Welch of Waterford, Ohio, reports that both are maturing and doing well.

“The twins are doing great,” Jerry stressed. “They are now halter broke and still up at Andy (Burkholder’s farm), but I’ll bring them back home here in about a month. Right now, one of them is a little more friendly, but once they’re home, I’ll be spending a lot more time with them, and will be better to assess their personalities.”

The twins are out of the broodmare Call Them Over (Call Toll Free) t, 4, 2:04h ($23,520), who Welch purchased from the Fred Polk estate in 2019. Bred by Success Acres, Call Them Over is the seventh foal out of the Overcome mare Overtookthem 3, 2:01.3h ($55,464), and is a full sister to Put Them On Hold 8, 1:54.2f ($505,856); Took The Call 7, 1:59.3h ($143,884); and Call Over Free 6, 1:55.2f ($16,964).

“Venus has a small star on her forehead, and Serena has a very small star and a snip,” Jerry said. “That’s how we tell them apart. Once they’re home, I’ll get them used to everything that they’ll need further on in their careers, which will help when we start the breaking process in the fall.”

This prolific broodmare, who will be 21 on Jan. 1, had nine foals prior to giving birth to her twins, including Abequa (by Neely Dunn) 4, 1:57.2f ($107,277); Neely Spring (by Neely Dunn) 4, 1:57.2h ($101,265); Over Six (by Team Six) 4, 1:57.2h ($73,719); and Callit As U Seeit (by Malabar Maple) 4, 1:59.1h ($44,257).

Welch also campaigns, owns and bred the top race mare Jurassic Hattie (Volstead) 3, 1:52.3f ($441,864). Look for another update on these twins in the Spring of 2025.

by Kimberly Rinker, for Harnesslink