Smoken Up, the eight-year-old son of Tinted Cloud that recently captured the $800,000 Inter Dominion Pacing Championship in Auckland, may be stripped of his accomplishment due to a swab 'irregularity' which was taken after the race. The horse's trainer/driver, Lance Justice, is stomping mad over the situation
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According to a report by the Herald Sun, the swab came up positive for an illegal anti-inflammatory substance called dimethyl sulfoxide -- more commonly known as DMSO.
Justice isn't taking the news too well, as he has been quoted as saying that he will "quit the sport" if Smoken Up is disqualified due to the swab.
"I'm devastated," Justice was quoted as saying. "There's no way this horse has ever been treated with DMSO. He hasn't been within 100 yards of being treated with it.
"There has to have been some contamination somewhere. DMSO is one of the most absorbent substances there is.
"Plus, it stinks, which would be a give-up if you used it. It's criminal if they take this off him.
"I'll walk away if he loses the race because of a substance I've never used on him."
(With files from the Herald Sun)
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