Inspecting Philly Sports activities Stars As Kentucky Derby Jockeys

What would a Philadelphia athlete or coach appear to be on a horse? Are you able to think about newly minted MVP Joel Embiid using a racehorse within the Kentucky Derby?

PlayPennylvania took the next Philadelphia sports activities personalities and advocated their strengths and weaknesses as jockeys:

• Joel Embiid
• Jalen Hurts
• Jason Kelce
• John Tortorella
• Julius Erving
• Trea Turner

We may also examine the checklist to what an actual jockey seems to be like. I’m certain not many are the peak and weight of Embiid or Kelce, however wouldn’t it’s enjoyable to think about?

Common top and weight of a Kentucky Derby jockey

This requirement already eliminates all the Philadelphia sports activities discipline attempting out to be a jockey, in keeping with Bustle:

“Each race has barely totally different guidelines, with weight necessities starting from 112 to 126 kilos, together with jockeys and about seven kilos of substances on the horse. The Kentucky Derby falls on the upper finish with a most of 126 kilos, which means jockeys themselves can’t weigh greater than 119 kilos.”

For perspective, the typical weight for a 15-year-old boy is 119 kilos. None of those Philadelphia personalities are near 119 kilos or 15 years outdated, which ought to make this enjoyable after I marketing campaign for Jason Kelce to be jockey.

Fortunately, there isn’t a top restriction for Kentucky Derby jockeys, or else that may have ruined all the debate. Nonetheless, most jockeys fall between 4 ft 10 inches and 5 ft 6 inches tall.

Johnny Sellers is the tallest jockey to ever win the Kentucky Derby in 1961, standing 5 ft 7.25 inches tall.

That is going to make my case tougher, however a minimum of one in all these Philadelphia stars will make for an ideal jockey.

Joel Embiid and John Tortorella polar opposites as horse racing jockeys

The primary two Philadelphia sports activities personalities are as reverse as you may get. One is a 29-year-old, 7-foot-2-inch, 280-pound middle within the NBA who simply gained league MVP. And the opposite is a 64-year-old, 5-foot-8-inch, 175-pound hockey coach. You possibly can’t get any totally different than that.

Let’s begin with Embiid. First off, about 2.5 jockeys at 120 kilos would make up for Embiid’s weight. Embiid would even be practically two ft taller than a mean jockey.

Now that we all know Embiid can be a somewhat giant jockey, he most likely makes the worst selection out of everybody listed. His athleticism helps, however Embiid is simply too huge and likewise not dependable.

Coming down the stretch run of the derby, is he going to tweak his knee or tear a ligament in his thumb? That’s what we’ve been used to over the previous a number of years from Embiid when it issues most.

There have by no means been questions on Embiid’s expertise. After successful NBA MVP, a daily season award, Embiid and his horse would fly out of the gates. Coming down the stretch run, nevertheless, I’d envision Embiid and his horse slowing down to a more healthy jockey/horse combo.

Tortorella’s measurements immediately make him a greater candidate as a jockey than Embiid. Though, I’ve by no means seen the Flyers coach in something aside from a go well with on the sidelines or within the press room yelling at reporters. So for that purpose, I can’t communicate to Torterella’s present athleticism.

The one factor I can communicate to is Tortorella’s toughness and fiery angle. There are quite a few clips of Tortorella yelling at his gamers to get probably the most out of them, and stepping into verbal scuffles with reporters. In spite of everything, he did win a Stanley Cup teaching the Tampa Bay Lightning in 2004.

Tortorella is a extremely good motivator and subsequently would make for jockey within the Kentucky Derby.

Eagles teammates work collectively on the sphere, separate as jockeys

Jason Kelce and Jalen Hurts are the one two gamers on the Eagles who contact the soccer on each single snap. Now, we’re turning them into Kentucky Derby jockeys.

The most important similarity between the 2, by far, is management. Kelce has primarily been the captain of the Eagles since Andy Reid drafted him in 2012. He’s thought of probably the most beloved gamers in Philadelphia sports activities historical past.

Hurts might be alongside Kelce as most beloved. He’s been the beginning quarterback and captain since 2021 and led the Eagles to a Tremendous Bowl look in 2022.

The opposite similarity each have is being underdogs. Kelce was taken within the sixth spherical of the 2012 NFL Draft with little fanfare. The Eagles chosen Hurts within the second spherical of the 2020 Draft as Carson Wentz’s backup. Humorous how issues change, as each are arguably the perfect gamers at their positions now.

Each gamers are nice leaders, however they’re additionally nice talkers.

Who can neglect Kelce’s speech through the Eagles Tremendous Bowl parade in 2018? As an underdog, Kelce’s “Hungry Canine Run Sooner!” speech might be talked about endlessly. It might be improper for Kelce to compete within the Kentucky Derby with out his Mummer’s costume, too.

Although Hurts will not be as loud as Kelce, he’s far more mild-mannered when getting his level throughout. Hurts has had some doozy quotes throughout his time as an Eagle:

Whereas each are comparable in quite a lot of methods, I’m giving the sting to Kelce. Kelce will have the ability to overcome his 6-foot-3-inch, 280-pound body along with his “Hungry Canine Run Sooner” speech to his horse. Not that Hurts isn’t, however Kelce is a bodily freak. Hurts has the perfect view of Kelce operating like a horse within the open discipline when creating operating lanes for the star quarterback.

Whereas Hurts’ 6-foot-1-inch, 223-pound construction units himself up as a greater jockey, his mild-mannered demeanor gained’t be sufficient to beat Kelce. Figuring out how unselfish this Eagles workforce is, Kelce can be glad to share the glory with Hurts.

Old style vs. new college Philadelphia athletes

We have now an old-school legend in Julius Erving and the latest tenured Philadelphia athlete Trea Turner squaring off. Turner is filling in for Bryce Harper, who’s listed as uncertain for the Kentucky Derby with an elbow damage. (We didn’t notice Harper is such a fast healer.)

Erving can also be one other beloved Philadelphia star, and is taken into account among the finest pure athletes ever. Erving stood 6-feet-7 inches, 223 kilos, throughout his taking part in days and was as sleek as they got here. Dr. J was the primary of his time to really glide within the air, a lot of what you see in at present’s NBA stars. Fortunately for Erving, there was a 6-foot-7-inch jockey named Patrick Sankey.

Turner stands at 6-feet-2 inches, 185 kilos, so he’s far more suited to be a jockey.

This can be a powerful matchup. It’s exhausting to go towards Dr. J when he gained a championship with the Sixers and reached the NBA Finals a further 3 times. Turner has a championship himself, with the Nationals in 2019, nevertheless it’s a battle for me to choose the brand new man on the block.

I do know what I’ve in Dr. J. He’s as regular as they arrive. Turner has not supplied sufficient moments in Phillies pinstripes for me to belief him but.

Although it will not be truthful to Turner, maybe he can change my thoughts by the subsequent Kentucky Derby if the Phillies win the World Sequence.

May Trea Turner beat a horse within the Kentucky Derby?

Since Harper is uncertain for the Kentucky Derby, Turner needed to step in as an alternative jockey. We initially had been going to have Turner race a horse within the Kentucky Derby. Since he’s one of many quickest gamers within the MLB, may he truly beat a horse?

The reply is no. The successful Kentucky Derby horse runs at a mean velocity of 37 miles per hour across the 1.25-mile-long observe at Churchill Downs. Turner has been clocked with a 30.5 mph dash velocity to first base.

It might take Turner round 2:27 to run the Kentucky Derby. The typical winner of the Kentucky Derby takes 2:01.

Turner would seemingly end final on the Kentucky Derby. Summer time Is Tomorrow, who completed final in 2022, ran a time of roughly 2:15.