Deep Impact has been officially disqualified from his third-place finish in the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe, the stewards at France-Galop announced on Thursday.

Traces of the banned medication ipratropium were found in Deep Impact’s system following a routine urine sample taken after the Oct. 1 Arc. Legal in Japan but not allowed in France, ipratropium is a breathing medication applied through an inhaler. Trainer Yasuo Ikee, who has been fined 15,000 euros ($19,235) for his part in the affair, has taken full responsibility for the mishap.

Ouija Board, winner of the Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Turf,was named Cartier's European Horse of the Year for the second time at the annual Cartier Racing Awards dinner in London on Wednesday night. Trained by Ed Dunlop for Lord Derby, Ouija Board had earned the same honor two years ago when she took the first of her two Filly and Mare Turf titles.

A 5-year-old daughter of Cape Cross, Ouija Board won the Prince of Wales's Stakes and the Nassau Stakes as well this summer and will run next in the Japan Cup on Nov. 26. She was also named best European older horse.

Sheikh Mohammed al Maktoum's Godolphin Racing has installed a Tapeta artificial surface at the stable's Al Quoz training center in Dubai, according to Michael Dickinson, the American-based trainer whose company manufactures the surface.

The artificial surface was installed over the summer, and the track opened for training on Sunday, Dickinson said Wednesday.

"We're delighted and honored to be part of the operation, and hope it will have a positive result," Dickinson said.

Desert Orchid, the much-loved winner of the 1989 Cheltenham Gold Cup, died peacefully at age 27 at Egerton Stud Stables in Newmarket, England, on Monday morning.

Delta Blues and Pop Rock gave Japanese trainer Katsuhiko Sumii a historic one-two finish in the $3.8 million Melbourne Cup Handicap on Tuesday in front of 106,691 aghast Australian onlookers at Flemington Racecourse.

The Japanese duo dueled through the last 100 yards of the two-mile Group 1 contest, with the 16-1 Delta Blues, who was never worse than third, holding on for the win by a short head under Yasunari Iwata despite being carried left by the Damien Oliver-ridden Pop Rock, the 5-1 co-favorite. It was 4 1/2 lengths back to third-place Maybe Better.

Cherry Mix provided Sheikh Mohammed with some consolation for the defeat of Bernardini in the Breeders' Cup Classic when he galloped to a four-length victory in the Group 1, $407,000 Premio Roma at the Capannelle on Sunday.

NEW YORK - Get Bernardini!

Sounds like the title of a gangster movie, but it is, in fact, a major subplot in Saturday's Breeders' Cup Classic.

Aidan O'Brien served notice on Sunday that his Ballydoyle stable is firing on all cylinders as his Mount Nelson upset the heavily favored Spirit One in the $320,000 Criterium International at Saint-Cloud.

Mount Nelson corralled the pacesetting Spirit One at the eighth pole and held on gamely under Jamie Heffernan to prevail by a head. O'Brien also trains the third-place finisher, Yellowstone.

Coupled with Yellowstone, Mount Nelson started at 10.90-1 and covered the mile on good to soft ground in 1:41.30.

With the Breeders' Cup less than a week away, Aidan O'Brien served notice on Sunday that his Ballydoyle stable is firing on all cylinders as his Mount Nelson upset the heavily favored Spirit One in the $320,000 Criterium International at Saint-Cloud.

Daiwa Major threw down the gauntlet to his more glamorous rivals Deep Impact and Heart's Cry at Tokyo on Sunday with a solid victory in the $2.1 million Grade 1 Autumn Tenno Sho