Candlelight Hours hangs on to take Petro Memorial

Favored Candlelight Hours had to work a bit harder than expected, but still came away with the sixth stakes victory of her career on Thursday at Thistledown, lasting by three-quarters of a length over Windy Lu Who for a repeat win in the $75,000 J. William Petro Memorial for Ohio-bred fillies and mares.

Candlelight Hours ($2.60), who had Terry Houghton in the irons for trainer James Jackson, got away with slow early fractions on a sloppy, sealed track, leading through an opening quarter-mile in 25.84 seconds and the half in 51.44. The mare was headed by fellow Ohio-bred champion R Three Angels, but regained the lead on the far turn, and easily opened up three lengths in the stretch.

Windy Lu Who, third in the stretch and with about six lengths to make up, rallied well into the slow pace, but Candlelight Hours, under left-handed urging, had enough to hold sway. It was a length back to R Three Angels in third.

The time for the 1 1/16 miles was 1:49.29.

Candlelight Hours, an Elkhorn Oaks homebred, was Ohio’s champion 2-year-old filly of 2022, and champion female last year, when her wins included the Best of Ohio Distaff.

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