December 2, 2023 
If you were making a list of Worst Names for a Horse, “Blood Diamond” seems like a shoo-in for the top 10.
Behind perhaps “Genocide” and “Hate Crime” but ahead of “OnlyFans” and “Panty Liner.” (A blood diamond, in case you didn’t know, is a diamond mined in a war zone and sold to finance fun things like “an insurgency, an invading army’s war efforts, terrorism, or a warlord’s activity,” so says Wikipedia.)
And yet there are four international horses currently saddled with the moniker, including Blood Diamond Du Pont, winner of the CSI5*-W Longines Grand Prix in La Coruna, Spain on Saturday.
Questionable name aside, the 12-year-old Selle Français gelding piloted by France’s Julien Anquetin is having an incredible season. The pair won a 4* 1.55m Grand Prix and 1.50m class in Saint-Lô late October. One month later, they captured the first 5* Grand Prix title of both the horse and his 31-year-old rider’s career in Spain.
And it was a hard fought one at that. Fifteen of 45 starters found a clear path around the 1.55m track to advance to the jump off at Casas Novas.
Anquetin and Blood Diamond du Pont were the only pair to cross the timers double clear under the 38 second mark, stopping the clock at 37.70 seconds. Only Harry Charles (GBR) and Billabong du Roumois were faster. The pair finished in 37.06 but left two rails on the floor.
Spain’s Jesus Garmedia Echevarria and Callias finished second in 38.36. Germany’s Christian Ahlmann and Mandato van de Neerheide took third in 38.61.
Anquetin has been in the stirrups for the entirety of Blood Diamond du Pont’s international career. Since 2019, they’ve earned 22 podium finishes, including 15 victories. At 1.55m, they average four faults and finished top 10 in 24% of 17 career starts at the height, according to Jumpr App.
In 2023, that average has jumped to 67% at the height. In 13 starts at 1.50m to 1.60m heights, Anquetin and Blood Diamond have won five, topping every podium they’ve made this season. Which is to say, it’s quite literally a great year for Blood Diamond’s (career). And a rather awkward one if you have to write headlines for them.
Now that this rare jewel is in heavy circulation, perhaps a name change is in order for the Diamant de Semilly sired bay? Like Hope Diamond or Millennium Star or literally anything else.
Casas Novas concludes Sunday with the Longines FEI Jumping World Cup Coruña at 11:00 am ET on FEI TV.
