Stalwart Charger Lights Silver Screen : Horse racing: Gelding wins by 4 1/2 lengths, prompts trainer to call him best 3-year-old in the United States.

Forget about Unbridled, Summer Squall or all other 3-year-olds anybody cares to mention.

According to Pico Perdomo, each of them has to take a back seat to his Stalwart Charger.

“No 3-year-old in the country can touch this horse,” he said after the gelded son of Stalwart did exactly what he was supposed to do in the $160,100 Silver Screen Handicap Sunday at Hollywood Park.

Making his first start since he dominated his California Derby foes April 21, the 3-5 favorite drew away when asked in the final furlong to win by 4 1/2 lengths.

The final time of 1:48 2/5 wasn’t earth-shattering and neither was the competition--Toby Jug, the longest shot in the field at almost 20-1, was second--but this didn’t faze Perdomo.

The trainer has never been afraid to speak his mind when it comes to Stalwart Charger, and he seemed almost defiant in the winner’s circle Sunday after he won for the fourth time in five starts.

“He didn’t prove much in this race except for a couple of things,” he said. “He proved if you have a bazooka, I know how to pull the trigger. Something people have to know is that I know how to train a good horse. This proved to people that I know my business.

“I’ve told everybody all along, there’s no competition in the country for this horse. I was telling people this long before he broke his maiden (Feb. 11 at Santa Anita). Now, you’re waiting to cut my neck, no? Well, you better get a chair and sit because it’s going to be a long time.”

Now, it’s on to the $200,000 Swaps in three weeks for owner Sidney Factor’s chestnut, who was purchased for $27,500 as a 2-year-old, then the Super Derby in September.

“He cruised,” the trainer said while watching the replay in the infield. “His ears were pricked. It doesn’t matter four lengths, five lengths or a neck. It doesn’t matter. He just does what he has to do.”

Third behind Big Bass and 5-2 second choice Kentucky Jazz early, Stalwart Charger moved up to engage the latter around the turn, then pulled away through the stretch.

Toby Jug, who trailed most of the way, was nearly two lengths better than Kentucky Jazz, then came Big Bass and Warcraft. Music Prospector was scratched.

Aboard Stalwart Charger for the first time in the afternoon, Pincay came away impressed.

“I really believe he could be a really top horse,” he said. “You hate to get high on horses because a lot of them disappoint you, but I think this race is going to do him a lot of good.

“He’s kind of a lazy horse and he was kind of intimidated being on the inside (at the start). You just have to make him do everything. One day, he’s going to decide to run and he’s going to be a much better horse.

“I was afraid he might get a little tired today, but he was finishing. I could feel that he was still strong. I think he likes the whip. Every time I hit him, he gave me a little more. The time wasn’t that fast, but when I moved up to second with him, I just sat there for a long time because I didn’t want to open up with him. He tends to loaf when he’s on the lead. I’m going to keep my fingers crossed that he keeps improving.”

Steinlen, who bypassed the recent Inglewood Handicap, will carry top weight of 125 pounds Wednesday in the $200,000-added American Handicap at Hollywood Park.

Conqueror of Hawkster, Golden Pheasant and others in the Hollywood Turf Handicap, Steinlen was one of seven entered Sunday morning for the American, which will be run at 1 1/8 miles on the turf.

Laffit Pincay, who took over from Jose Santos on the 1989 Eclipse Award winner in the Turf Handicap, again has the call. On that day, Santos rode Criminal Type to an upset victory over Easy Goer and Housebuster in the Metropolitan Mile at Belmont Park.

Those scheduled to oppose Steinlen are Classic Fame, third as the favorite in the Inglewood; Pleasant Variety, third in the Golden Gate Handicap behind Petite Ile and Valdali; Shining Steel; Mohamed Abdu, who returned after an extended layoff to win the Inglewood; Gran Judgement, and Colway Rally.

Away since January of 1989 after suffering a leg injury in a race at Turf Paradise, Mohamed Abdu went right to the front in his comeback, then held off Peace after they dueled for more than a quarter of a mile.

“That first race back was a very hard race for him,” said trainer Richard Mulhall. “He cleaned up the night of the race and did everything right.

“The American is just a little quick and that concerns me. I didn’t have many alternatives for him and the only other race is the Eddie Read Handicap (next month at Del Mar). I was also concerned that Hawkster and Peace might go in this race because they would add some extra speed. With them not going, it helped us to make a firm decision to run.”

Although he never looked like a winner in the Inglewood, Classic Fame, who finished in front of Steinlen in the John Henry Handicap May 13, was beaten by a half-length.

“He didn’t break too sharp and he was too far back early,” trainer Gary Jones said. “The fact that he was four wide into the stretch was definitely a factor as well. I think we were unlucky to lose, but those other two ran one heck of a race. The American’s a little quick, but he’s training well and I think he’s got a big shot.”

Horse Racing Notes

Trainer Pico Perdomo also won the third race with Billy Euforico and he has now won with five of his 17 starters at Hollywood Park. . . . There was a minus show pool of $2,313.13 in the sixth race, won by heavily favored My Prayer, and one of $4,798.13 in the Silver Screen. . . . Stalwart Charger’s victory was worth $91,100 to his owner and pushed his earnings to $310,100. . . . Laffit Pincay, Julio Garcia and Kent Desormeaux all rode two winners Sunday.