Pharoah, Pharoh or Pharaoh? Who’s the best?
Pharaohs seem to be everywhere these days.
South Carolina wide receiver Pharoh (the spelling preferred by his parents) Cooper is making preseason All-America teams.
The horse American Pharoah (misspelled by a fan in a naming contest) is trying to become the first Triple Crown winner since 1978.
And, of course, to many, Yul Brynner – who played Ramesses II in “The Ten Commandments” – always will be the most famous Egyptian pharaoh. A look at the trio:
Pharoh Cooper
Date of birth: March 7, 1995
Place of birth: Havelock, N.C.
Mother: Tanya
Coach: Steve Spurrier Jr.
Nickname: Gold, because he’s the chosen one
Main man: QB Connor Mitch
Head man: HBC Steve Spurrier
Claim to fame: All-SEC as a sophomore
Colors: Garnet and black
Best number: 5 plays of 70-plus yards
Of note: Twitter handle is @KingTutt-chdown
American Pharoah
Date of birth: Feb. 2, 2012
Place of birth: Lexington, Ky.
Mother: Little Princess Emma
Coach: Bob Baffert, trainer
Nickname: Pendejo, Spanish for idiot
Main man: Jockey Victor Espinoza
Head man: Owner Ahmed Zayat
Claim to fame: Won Kentucky Derby and Preakness
Colors: Light blue and gold
Best number: 2:03.02 time in Derby
Of note: Likes running on wet tracks
Pharaoh Ramesses II
Date of birth: 1303 BC
Place of birth: Egypt
Mother: Queen Tuya
Coach: Seti I, his father
Nickname: Ramesses the Great, for obvious reasons
Main man: Moses, played by Charlton Heston in the movie
Head man: Producer Cecil B. DeMille
Claim to fame: Most powerful pharaoh of Eqyptian Empire
Colors: Dark blue and gold
Best number: Had Army of 100,000 men
Of note: “The Ten Commandments” was released in 1956 and lasted 3 hours, 40 minutes
Belmont Stakes
What: The 147th Belmont Stakes, the third leg of the Triple Crown
Where: Belmont Park in Elmont, N.Y.
Purse: $1.5 million
Distance: one and a half miles
Post time: 6:50 p.m. Eastern
Television: NBC
This story was originally published June 4, 2015 at 11:56 PM with the headline "Pharoah, Pharoh or Pharaoh? Who’s the best?."