Thorpedo Anna returns to the races as a 4-year-old on Saturday in the Grade 2, 1 1/16-mile Azeri Stakes at Oaklawn. As reigning horse of the year, the Kenny McPeek trainee and jockey Brian Hernandez Jr. will be the center of attention Saturday.

Thorpedo Anna last was seen crushing her rivals in the Breeders’ Cup Distaff at Del Mar. She then took a break at McPeek’s Kentucky farm before returning to work at Fair Grounds. All signals seem to be that the daughter of Fast Anna is ready for a top performance.

Here are Thorpedo Anna’s lifetime speed figures:

The last 3-year-old filly to be named horse of the year was Rachel Alexandra for her unprecedented 2009 campaign, where she defeated males three times, in the Preakness, the Haskell (G1) and the Woodward (G1). Trainer Steve Asmussen took his time bringing the Stonestreet Stable filly back to the races, deciding on the New Orleans Ladies at 1 1/16 miles at Fair Grounds in March 2010. Despite pressing a modest pace, Rachel was unable to draw away from fast-closing Zardana in the stretch and finished second by a length.

Here are Rachel Alexandra’s speed figures coming into the 2010 New Orleans Ladies:

It turned out that Rachel Alexandra needed more time to get back into her winning stride, as she finished second once more to Unrivaled Belle in the La Troienne (G2) at Churchill Downs that April. Her first win as a 4-year-old was in the Fleur de Lis (G2) at Churchill in June. She raced two more times, winning the Lady’s Secret (G2) at Monmouth before being run down in deep stretch by Persistently in the Personal Ensign (G1) at Saratoga.

With Thorpedo Anna’s season ready to be written, it is instructive to look back at other recent champions where there are similarities.

When it comes to speed figures, there is no question that Rachel Alexandra was a singular talent in 2009. She never ran anything slower than 100 on any of the speed-figure ratings that year, turning in her lifetime tops in the Haskell. Thorpedo Anna’s lone race against males, a runner-up effort in the Travers, similarly was her top performance on all of the speed-figure makers’ charts.

Rachel’s figures slipped in her subsequent start, but it too was against males going 1 1/8 miles. Thorpedo Anna bounced back from the Travers with a win in the Cotillion that was at least 10 points slower. She closed out her 3-year-old season in the Breeders’ Cup Distaff facing older fillies and mares and regained her figure form.

Can she bring that speed into 2025?  As with Rachel Alexandra, all questions will be answered between the starting gate and finish line.