Following Another Positive Test, Hipódromo de La Plata Disqualifies Trainer Angel Piana
The Racing Commission at La Plata applied the utmost regulatory severity following the test result from a sample taken from Tac-Tac, who finished second on August 27; the trainer had accumulated four prior infractions and also lost official recognition for his stable, L.C.A.
LA PLATA.- Another positive case has shaken Argentine racing, this time with particularly grave consequences for trainer Ángel Alberto Piana, who was disqualified by the Racing Commission at Hipódromo de La Plata after clenbuterol was confirmed in a sample taken from Tac-Tac (Manipulator), a runner that finished second in the fourth race on August 27, the Especial Jockey Club de Mar del Plata.
The decision, adopted during the session on Thursday, October 15, took into account not only the detected substance, but also the trainer's extensive disciplinary record, having previously accumulated four sanctions for infractions related to doping and unauthorized therapeutic treatments.
According to the report from the Servicio Químico de San Isidro, the analysis of Tac-Tac's urine sample yielded a positive result for clenbuterol, a substance prohibited under Article 25 of the General Racing Rules.
Upon notification, Piana opted to waive the right to a split-sample test, a circumstance that, under current regulations, confirmed the initial result and closed the opportunity to present a defense within that procedure.
The decisive factor in the severity of the penalty was repeat offense status. The Commission noted that Piana had been suspended for three months in 2022, again for three months between November of that year and February 2023, for four additional months through June 2023, and finally for one year and two months, a penalty that extended until February 20, 2025. Additionally, he recorded other positives in horses under his care that he did not saddle himself.
Because the three-year regulatory period required to clear repeat offender status had not elapsed between those previous infractions and the one recorded on August 27, 2026, authorities applied the statutory aggravation.
Consequently, the Commission resolved to disqualify Ángel Alberto Piana in his capacity as trainer for doping, under the classification of a fourth repeat offense and breach of professional responsibility.
Sanctions for the Runner and Stable
The disciplinary action also extended to Tac-Tac, owned by Stud Doctor S, who received a two-month suspension running from October 6 through December 5, 2026, inclusive.
Furthermore, the mare was disqualified from her placing in that fourth race on August 27, establishing the revised official order of finish with Let Me Dance (Le Blues) in first, Que Buena B (Qué Vida Buena) second, Phila Street(Endorsement) third, Liga de Honor (Legión de Honor) fourth, and Beauty Check (Safety Check) fifth.
Another critical element of the ruling was the decision to revoke official recognition for Stud L.C.A., owned by Pianahimself, thereby extending the disciplinary consequences directly to the trainer's racing operation.
Finally, the Racing Commission instructed its Legal Department to file the corresponding criminal complaint, adding a legal dimension to the proceedings.
The case once again highlights the uncompromising nature of anti-doping regulations in the presence of repeated violations. For Piana, following a series of prior suspensions, this latest infraction has resulted in a disqualification that marks a definitive turning point in his professional career.
