Then there were 12: Enable chases off Arc de Triomphe foes

The prospective field for Sunday's Sunday’s Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe (G1), expected to be the final race of the great Enable's career, continued to shrink Tuesday, when declarations for the Longchamp feature dropped from 16 contenders to 12.

And can you blame them?

Enable, the 5-year-old daughter of Nathaniel, is unbeaten this season since winning her second Arc and the Breeders' Cup Turf last fall, taking measure of some big-name opponents at every opportunity.

Musis Amica, Silverwave, Mehdaayih and Matchwinner are the latest names to forfeit, as they say in Europe, though more horses could be added to the races at Wednesday's supplementary stage. But news arrived that Japan's Deirdre, seen as the biggest name possible to be supplemented for a six-figure sum, will instead away Ascot's Champion Stakes (G1) later this month. If no others are added, this is on pace to be the smallest Arc field since 2007, when Dylan Thomas topped a field of 12 in Europe's richest race. Trained by John Gosden for Prince Khalid Abdullah, Enable is an odds-on Arc favorite for a historic three-peat. After Frankie Dettori galloped the mare through her final work Monday, Gosden told reporters, "She’s filled her frame and there’s no doubt in my mind that a flat thoroughbred horse is probably at their absolute peak at 5."

Enable's campaign has included victories in Sandown's Coral-Eclipse (G1), Ascot's King George (G1) and York's Yorkshire Oaks (G1). General odds have Sunday's biggest challenge coming from the Aidan O'Brien-trained Japan and France's Scottsass, both 6-1. Another O'Brien runner, the filly Magical, and Godolphin's Ghaiyyath both sit at 10-1 as of Tuesday.