Aciano returned to her solid 3-year-old form, bouncing back from a poor start in her 2018 debut last time out, to score an impressive three-length victory in the $40,000 featured allowance optional claimer on Friday at Monmouth Park. 

Trained by Kelly Rubley and ridden by Jevian Toledo, Aciano took the lead from 4-5 favorite Paulita within the opening quarter mile and was never seriously threatened after that. 

The daughter of K One King-Button Girl covered the mile and an eighth over a turf course listed as “good” in 1:49.18. 

“I knew (Paulita) was the only other speed horse but I didn’t want to fight my filly, either,” said Toledo. “As soon as I took hold of her she wanted to go, so I knew I couldn’t stay where I was or I would have been fighting her the entire way and she wouldn’t have anything left. 

“So I let her go and she relaxed nicely.” 

Owned by Gunpowder Farms LLC, Aciano was making her second start for Rubley. She failed to finish in her last start on June 16 at Delaware Park at a mile and a sixteenth on the grass. 

“I knew she was a nice filly but a race like her last one makes you nervous,” said Rubley. “This is more like what we expected from her.” 

Sent off at 3-1, Aciano won for the second time in eight career starts. So Charming rallied for second, a nose ahead of Paulita in third. 

Racing resumes at Monmouth Park on Saturday. First post is 12:50 p.m.