LOS ALAMITOS : Mt. Harvard Winner Pays Record $178.40

Bailarin, a gelding who could have been claimed for only $10,000 in June, paid $178.40, $41.20 and $15 after leading wire to wire in the $51,290 Mt. Harvard Handicap late Saturday night at the Orange County Racing Fair.

The payoff was the highest for a stakes in the fair’s 15-year history. Bubble Bite paid $155.40 to win the Mission Viejo Stakes in 1985.

Bailarin, trained by Rodney Hart and ridden by Hector Torres, ran the 4 1/2 furlongs in 49 4/5 seconds, three-fifths slower than the Los Alamitos and world record set by Valiant Pete in last year’s race.

Bailarin, who earned $28,790 for his owner, L. Dean Harrington, broke first and opened a 3 1/2-length lead in the backstretch. Paisano Pete, ridden by Julio Garica, pulled within a half-length, but Torres, 19, held on for his first stakes victory.

Paisano Pete ($4.60 and $3.40) was second, a length behind, completing an exacta that paid $877. Nucleon ($4.20), ridden by Francisco Mena, was third and odds-on favorite Olympic Prospect, ridden by Pat Valenzuela, was fifth.

Zangazoor was fourth. Black Jack Attack was sixth, followed by Native Wood, On The Menu, Prospectively and Kernville.

Ballarin’s most recent victory against thoroughbreds came in a $10,000 claiming race at Ruidoso Downs in New Mexico. He later won three quarter horse races there, including a handicap July 5.