Portnoy-owned Wondergirl Carly wins debut at Parx

The first horse Barstool Sports founder Dave Portnoy bought for what would become his Go Go Greys Stable made her long-awaited debut on Monday at Parx, winning the six-furlong maiden race for fillies and mares and creating several viral moments online in the process.

Wondergirl Carly, a Gun Runner filly that Portnoy purchased for $650,000 at the 2023 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga sale of selected yearlings, had some medical issues that kept her from competing early in life, but the 4 1/2-length win on debut made it worth the wait.

Parx announcer Jessica Paquette said Wondergirl Carly was "just peachy in her debut," a reference to Portnoy's dog, Peaches. Portnoy, who referenced the call in a subsequent post on X.com, missed the race in Bensalem, Pa., because he was at a canine charity event with Peaches.

Portnoy named Wondergirl Carly after Carly Mann, whom he called "the greatest female athlete I've ever seen and a Barstool legend." Portnoy shared a "reaction video" of Mann watching her namesake win.

Before the race, Portnoy clapped back at those who poked fun at the media mogul debuting a horse on a Monday at Parx.

Her sweeping move on the far turn under jockey Samuel Marin en route to an open-lengths win likely silenced some doubters, but social media denizens love to chirp at Portnoy, part of what feeds the machine and makes him so popular. 

Through 8 a.m. Tuesday, Portnoy posts related to Wondergirl Carly had received 3.5 million impressions with the race replay alone garnering 500,000 views.

It was a stark juxtaposition from the weekend when Portnoy railed against computer-assisted wagering (CAW) in racing in response to whether he would be attending the Breeders' Cup this year.

Wondergirl Carly received a preliminary 119 Horse Racing Nation Judgement Quotient for her debut romp.