TOC names Couto president

Drew Couto has been named president of the Thoroughbred Owners of California, succeeding John Van de Kamp, who left the position earlier this year.

Couto was involved with the TOC when the organization was formed in the early 1990's and served as executive director from 1994 to 1996. He left to become president of the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association in Lexington, Ky., in the late 1990's, but returned to California and rejoined the TOC as a member of the board of directors in 2001.

For the last several months, Couto has been the executive director of the TOC, working on issues such as legislation and business matters.