Patience – It’s not just for Job anymore

By Jude T. Feld

Dictionary.com describes patience as the bearing of provocation, annoyance, misfortune, or pain, without complaint, loss of temper, irritation, or the like.

Considered a “Gift of the Holy Spirit” by the Christian church, patience seems uncommonly bestowed on royals by the Third Person of the Holy Trinity, seemingly because by their privileged state, their whims are catered to at a moment’s notice.

The Queen has proven repeatedly that she is no common royal.

On her 21st birthday, she made a broadcast to the British Commonwealth and Empire, pledging, “I declare before you all that my whole life, whether it be long or short, shall be devoted to your service and the service of our great imperial family to which we all belong.”

Historically, seldom does a monarch vow to serve and then follow through.

Even before her reign began, the Queen has shown a strong constitution in the face of turmoil. She has been pummeled in the press, made sport of on television and even shot at, but through it all she has maintained her composure and displayed a courageous, optimistic and patient attitude.

Her Majesty’s passion for Thoroughbred racing is no doubt inherited from her mother, who on the occasion of her 100th birthday, attributed her storied longevity to, “gin and horseracing.” The Queen Mother loved her days at the racecourse and kept a powerful stable for most of her life.

Several members of the Royal Family have raced horses at Ascot since Queen Anne founded the racecourse in 1711, including both Queen Elizabeth II and the “Queen Mum.” The Queen had won 19 races there, in her lifetime, going into the final racing day of 2008, but Her Majesty was winless since Bluebird in 1999 and had not won a two-year-old race there since 1957.

Free Agent, the 7-2 co-favorite, came from last to first Saturday, under jockey Richard Hughes, to capture the Chesham Stakes, in the Queen’s colors of purple, scarlet and black.

Hughes said, “To ride winners here is great but to ride one for the Queen is special.”

Royal bloodstock adviser John Warren said, “The Queen was absolutely thrilled and after they passed the post she said, ‘I’ve done it!’ which was great.”

“I’ve done it!”

Not, “It’s about time.” No sense of misfortune or annoyance that it took so long.

“I’ve done it!”

A sense of accomplishment with a note of thankfulness.

The patient monarch greeted Free Agent, Hughes and trainer Richard Hannon in the unsaddling enclosure and then delightedly received the winner’s trophy from former leading steeplechase jockey Richard Dunwoody.

Winner of his only other start, Free Agent’s run impressed bookmakers enough to earn a quote of 33-1 for next year’s Epsom Derby, a race the Queen has never won.

If Her Majesty can wait for 51 years for a two-year-old winner, I’m sure she is patient enough to wait another year for a Derby winner.

I’ll be rooting. It would be really cool to hear the Queen say, “I’ve done it!” again.

This entry was posted on Monday, June 23rd, 2008 at 11:05 am and is filed under Featured Articles. Responses are currently closed, but you can trackback from your own site.