Cover image courtesy of KB Bloodstock
Kit Brooks operates KB Bloodstock, a busy breaking-in, pre-training and ready-to-run operation, while continuing to compete in polo, a sport that has taken him around the world and seen him represent New Zealand at the highest level.
His graduates include last season’s G1 New Zealand Derby winner Road To Paris (NZ) (Circus Maximus {Ire}), along with Group 1 winners Savvy Coup (NZ) (Savabeel) and Madison County (NZ) (Pins), while countless others have passed through his hands either to be broken in or pre-trained.
For Brooks, however, the process is less about following a rigid formula and more about understanding what each horse requires.
A process built around the individual
The Cambridge location provides no shortage of work, with Brooks enjoying the variety that comes from dealing with different horses, trainers and owners.
“It’s been very good, busy, always busy. Being based in Cambridge, there is always ample work and plenty of horses to be broken in, so we're always pretty busy, which is great.
“I get to work with lots of horses for plenty of different owners and trainers, which is nice, and it's a busy part of the country to be doing it. There's lots of horses around.”
“I get to work with lots of horses for plenty of different owners and trainers... it's a busy part of the country to be doing it.” - Kit Brooks
Brooks breaks in around 150 horses each year, before adding the pre-training and ready-to-run work that forms the other parts of the business.
“We break in roughly 150 a year and then, obviously, we do pre-trainers and the ready-runners as well, so that's probably as many as we want to do.
“We've got clients from Australia and we may do a bit more work with them rather than just break them in. We pre-train them and jump them out before they go to Australia. That works out really well for all involved and particularly the horses.”
Kit Brooks | Image courtesy of KB Bloodstock
There is no one-size-fits-all timetable, although Brooks says five to six weeks is a reasonable guide for a horse going through a standard preparation.
“On average each of the horses will have about five to six weeks with me, but it does really depend on the horses and their longer-term plans.
“If it is one of my ready-to-runners, I might give them a little bit less and just give them a nice, quiet, easy preparation and give them a holiday so they can come back nicely.”
“Some trainers might want me to do a second preparation with them, so I can just do a bit with them the first time and give them a holiday and then bring them back and do more.
“Or if someone wants their yearling to do a bit more, I can do that and I will get them to the Cambridge track in their first preparation and make sure they're all doing everything nicely and ready to go when they get into their stables, so their staff and their track riders can get on happily. In theory, that is the plan.”
Kit Brooks doing ground work | Image courtesy of KB Bloodstock
Communication is another important part of the process, particularly when horses already have owners attached to them.
“There is a fair bit of communication with the trainers. A lot of the horses have got owners already, so they like updates and I've got to keep them updated too, so they can let the owners know where the horses are at and then sort of a bit about them here and there, a couple of videos and whatnot, hopefully keeping everyone happy.”
That relationship between Brooks, the horse and the people around it is central to how he operates.
“Like I have said, I have really good people that I work for and they are easy to get on with and they listen to what I have to say and trust me. If I think one's a bit tricky and needs a holiday or a break, or more time, they're happy to listen.
“I have really good clients... they are easy to get on with and they listen to what I have to say and trust me.” - Kit Brooks
“They need to work with you and the horse, that is key, and it works best for everyone. They all want the best for the horse.”
Thoroughbreds beyond the racetrack
Brooks’ understanding of the thoroughbred extends well beyond its role as a racehorse.
He has spent much of his life around horses and began playing polo after moving to Cambridge in 2000, eventually spending seven seasons playing in England, several years in Australia and making a number of international trips representing New Zealand.
“I started polo when we moved to Cambridge in 2000. I was lucky enough to work for the Clarkins, who are a big name in New Zealand polo. I have spent time playing overseas and I have done quite a few international trips playing for New Zealand, which has been awesome.”
Showjumping had been part of his early years before polo took over.
“I always did showjumping and things like that when we were young, and then I switched over to polo at about the age of 17 or 18. I’ve been playing polo ever since then, and it’s taken me all around the world.”
Kit Brooks at Mystery Creek Polo Club | Image courtesy of Love Racing NZ
That experience has also reinforced Brooks’ appreciation for the breed.
“They are just super athletes. If you get a good one, they are really willing, genuine, and try really hard. They are fast, athletic and they can stop and turn as quick as anything.
“New Zealand (polo) is predominantly thoroughbreds, but there are a few other breeds coming into it now. For me, I love the thoroughbreds.”
“New Zealand (polo) is predominantly thoroughbreds, but there are a few other breeds coming into it now. For me, I love the thoroughbreds.” - Kit Brooks
Brooks has re-trained a number of off-the-track Thoroughbreds for polo, including horses he originally broke in for racing before they eventually returned to him for a second career.
“All my polo ponies are off the track thoroughbreds that I have retrained myself. A couple of those I have broken in to be racehorses and they have come back to me as polo ponies, which has been great.
“All my polo ponies are off the track thoroughbreds that I have retrained myself.” - Kit Brooks
“I have re-trained many racehorses for polo. I go through and try them and if they don’t quite suit polo then I rehome them to someone they are better suited to.
“I sell quite a few of mine as well. I normally sell one or two of my better ones a year, which do well everywhere. I have sold quite a few to England and Australia. New Zealand thoroughbreds are famous around the world for polo people, they love them.”
A busy year that coincidently works around polo
The combination of breaking in, pre-training and preparing horses for the ready-to-run sales means there is little traditional downtime for Brooks.
“We are pretty flat out, literally from the yearling sales all the way through till the ready-to-run sales is real busy, and then sort of December and January is a little bit quieter, but we still keep quite a few pre-trainers on then as well, and that's quite good, works quite well.”
That quieter period also gives Brooks an opportunity to maintain his connection with polo.
Kit Brooks playing polo | Image courtesy of KB Bloodstock
“It means I can play a little bit of polo in the summer as well, which coincidentally works out quite well in December and January. I'm lucky enough because I can get a bit of polo in, not as much as I used to, but still enough.”
“I'm lucky enough because I can get a bit of polo in, not as much as I used to, but still enough.” - Kit Brooks
His international commitments continue to fit around the business, with a recent trip to Zambia providing an example of how the two sides of his career can complement each other.
“I've actually just come back from Zambia to play for New Zealand polo, so we played a few games against Zambia and then had a few days on safari, so that just worked out quite nicely for a little breather with the ready-to-runners being out, before getting busy again.
“It’s good to be back and get the ready-to-runners back in and get them started.”
Building momentum at the Ready To Run Sale
The New Zealand Bloodstock Ready To Run Sale has become another significant part of the KB Bloodstock operation, with Brooks preparing both client horses and horses purchased specifically with the breeze-up sale in mind.
“The first year we actually had a draft was in 2021, I think it was in Covid times. We didn't actually go to the sales, we sold them online, so that was a bit of a tough and strange initiation, but we have built up from there.
“Our clients have remained pretty consistent to be fair, it’s just that we have added quite a few more of our own that we have purchased and are pinhooking, with the odd horse from new clients. So basically we still have the same clientele to prepare for, and they just bought more of our own.
“The breeze-up sales have been successful for us over the years and hopefully it continues this year.”
“The breeze-up sales have been successful for us over the years and hopefully it continues this year.” - Kit Brooks
KB Bloodstock team at Karaka 2025 Ready to Run sale | Image courtesy of KB Bloodstock
In 2023, KB Bloodstock produced Megastar Heart (Star Turn) to top the New Zealand Bloodstock Ready To Run Sale when he was purchased by Hong Kong-based Pato Leung for NZ$825,000. Last year, KB Bloodstock sold 13 horses for NZ$3.46 million at an average price of NZ$266,154.
That draft included the sale-topping Lot 374, a colt by Zoustar out of Hijack Hussy (Hussonet {USA}), who was purchased by leading buyer Mr KM Yeung for $825,000.
Brooks is hopeful of another strong result, although he remains realistic about the unpredictable nature of 2-year-old horses and the sale still being a while away.
Zoustar x Hijack Hussy colt | Image courtesy of New Zealand Bloodstock
“We had a great sale last year. I think our potential draft this year, we have entered 24 2-year-olds, is probably a nicer bunch on the whole, but whether we have another sales topper I’m not sure. But at this age they can develop and improve very quickly, so there may be a surprise.
“They've all gone really well and come back in really nicely, and we're pretty stoked, really.
“I also breeze up for Trelawney. They take them to the sales but I will breeze them up, so there is plenty to keep me busy.”
A changing breeze-up market
Brooks has also watched the Ready To Run market evolve, with vendors increasingly targeting the sale rather than simply sending horses that did not fit elsewhere.
“New Zealand is quite unique. There's quite a few different vendors and groups of people like myself and we all literally go and buy horses just to take to this sale or targeted specifically.”
The result, he believes, is a stronger and more competitive product.
“We're not just bringing the leftovers that used to be a bit more the case. We're bringing top-class horses, we're buying yearlings as nice as we can to target this sale, we are targeting athletes and horses we think will race well.
“We're bringing top-class horses, we're buying yearlings as nice as we can to target this sale.” - Kit Brooks
“As a result, the sale is getting better and better, and now you are getting really nicely bred fillies also to go with a range of different types of colts and geldings.”
That competition is evident when buyers from New Zealand head across the Tasman in search of yearlings, with many of the same familiar faces chasing similar horses.
“The competition can be pretty fierce and quite often we are on the same horses, but generally we are all good mates and sometimes we combine. But there are plenty of sales around and plenty of nice horses to go around, and generally it seems like everyone gets their quota on finding the horses that they need.”
Staying close to the horses is what counts
For all the growth and different components of the operation, the hands-on nature of the work remains important to Brooks and his partner Bianca Drake, another accomplished polo player and horsewoman.
Finding people who understand the nuances of educating young horses can be challenging, particularly because the job requires more than simply being able to ride track work.
“It can be tough finding the right staff. Breaking in horses isn't just for people that can ride track work, it's quite a niche job, being able to get on the young ones that can be tough but also having to educate them and teach them things.”
That is where Brooks and Drake’s involvement becomes particularly valuable.
Kit Brooks and Bianca Drake | Image courtesy of Bianca Drake
“Myself and my partner Bianca do a lot of the riding and work ourselves, so that obviously helps a lot and we have a good team around us.”
“Myself and my partner Bianca do a lot of the riding and work ourselves.” - Kit Brooks
Being directly involved with the horses also allows Brooks to maintain a close understanding of what is happening across the operation.
“It would be very tough if you just were outsourcing and watching other people ride them, but we do a lot of the work ourselves and we've got some really good staff at the moment, which is not always the case, so we are lucky at the moment.
“We are a bit spoilt, we are very busy, but we have a good team and are always close to the ground with what is going on by doing the majority of the riding myself and with Bianca.”
For Brooks, that hands-on approach ultimately comes back to the same principle that underpins his breaking-in operation: understanding the individual horse, giving it the time it needs and ensuring the people around it are working towards the same outcome. It is an approach shaped by a lifetime around horses, whether they are being prepared for the racetrack, a breeze-up sale or a polo field.
