SARATOGA SPRINGS — For the third straight race, Mani Bhavan flashed her brilliant speed in Sunday’s Grade I Spinaway at Sar­atoga Race Course.

This time, she also showed some guts.

Untested in winning her first two starts by open lengths, Mani Bhavan dismissed a challenge from Grade III winner Jardin in the stretch and pulled away to win the $250,000 Spinaway by 11⁄4 lengths.

Favored at 3-5 by an announced giveaway crowd of 58,845, Mani Bhavan ($3.40) ran seven furlongs in 1:25.23. Jardin, the only other graded winner in a field reduced to six by scratches, was a clear second, 51⁄4 lengths in front of Collegiate.

“It was a gutsy performance,” winning trainer Steve Klesaris said. “She was tried today. The runner-up ran a great race, and she really dug in gamely to fight her off, and she did.”

The win was the third in as many starts for Mani Bhavan, a 2-year-old daughter of Storm Boot who Klesaris wheeled back just 18 days after her seven-length victory in Sar­atoga’s Grade II Adirondack.

“It made no difference to me,” Klesaris said of the quick turnaround. “Today was a good test. She cut it out there pretty good early.”

Under meet-leading rider Alan Garcia, Mani Bhavan sprung from the gate and jumped out to a

21⁄2-length lead through a quarter-mile in :22.18. Casanova Move challenged briefly after a half in :45.46.

Garcia was able to save ground along the inside and had enough horse left to fend off Jardin. It was the sixth graded stakes win of the meet for Garcia, and sixth in a Grade I.

“She was a little nervous inside the gate, and she broke a little down,” Garcia said. “After that, she was very quick away from there. She’s very fast from the gate.

“She’s a good filly. I think Steve did an excellent job coming back in 18 days. When I felt the other horse coming to me, my filly was trying hard. I think she’s going to be all right.”

Given an ideal trip in winning the Grade III Schuylerville on opening day, Jardin got an equally smooth ride from jockey Robby Albarado in the Schuylerville.

They were able to save ground along the rail before angling out

entering the stretch and taking aim on the winner.

“I thought she ran a beautiful race,” trainer Steve Asmussen said. “Robby gave her a dream trip. It looked like Robby had a shot to get her, but she was getting tired.”

Klesaris was unsure where Mani Bhavan would run next. She broke her maiden by 91⁄4 lengths at Del­aware Park on July 12 prior to the Adirondack, where she was dismissed at 8-1 and ran a Beyer Speed Figure of 100.

“We’ll go back to the drawing board and evaluate things,” Klesaris said. “Midway down the stretch, I was concerned. Jardin was coming relentlessly and my filly was digging down deep. She had enough to hold her off.”

MARLANG WINS SARANAC

Making his first start outside of his native Canada, Marlang led from gate to wire to win Sunday’s co-feature, the Grade III Saranac.

Under regular rider Richard Dos Ramos, Marlang ran 13⁄16 miles in 1:53.10 on a firm turf course.

It was the fourth win in five 2008 starts and first in a graded stakes for the 3-year-old Langfuhr colt, coming off a victory in the Breeders’ Stakes, the third leg of Canada’s triple crown. Langfuhr won the 1996 Forego at Saratoga.

Vacation finished second, 11⁄2 lengths ahead of Nistle’s Crunch. Ready’s Echo, the 9-5 favorite in his turf debut, was fourth.

“I was concerned because he never shipped before and he heard the races over at the stakes barn,” winning trainer Deborah England said. “I was worried about him settling down. I think he will get better at shipping as he gets older. He has gotten better at everything.”