Algorithms surged past heavy favorite Hansen about 200 yards from the finish and went on to win Sunday’s $400,000 Holy Bull Stakes (Grade 3) at Gulfstream Park and take an early step on the trail to the Kentucky Derby

Hansen came into the one-mile Holy Bull unbeaten and was the 2011 Eclipse Award winner for 2-year-olds.

He stumbled slightly coming out of the gate in a race run in a light drizzle on a track listed as sloppy.

But he regained his footing and led Consortium by 4 1/2 lengths after a fast half mile in 45.67 seconds. Algorithms was third in the six-horse field.

Algorithms, ridden by Javier Castellano, began gaining on Hansen entering the turn.

After taking the lead, Algorithms pulled away to win by five lengths. My Adonis finished a half length back in third.

Algorithms, unbeaten in three career starts, won in 1:36.17. He is trained by Todd Pletcher.

“Hansen has a lot of speed, so I was just patient and waited for the right time to move,” Castellano said. “He felt absolutely amazing today.”

Hansen’s trainer Mike Maker and jockey Ramon Dominguez did not use the stumble as an excuse.

“He was a little headstrong and fresh,” Maker said of Hansen, who won his first three races gate to wire,

Algorithms, owned by Starlight Racing, earned $240,000 with his victory. That should be enough graded stakes earnings to get him into the Kentucky Derby on May 5.

Pletcher said he will have to “sort things out” before picking next races for Algorithms and several of his other top 3-year-olds.

He also trains El Padrino, who won a 1 1/16-mile allowance Sunday, and Discreet Dancer, who has two impressive non-stakes wins at Gulfstream this season.

At least one of the horses will probably be in the $400,000 Fountain of Youth (Grade 2) at 1 1/16 miles on Feb. 26.

Broadway’s Alibi, trained by Pletcher, defeated Say a Novena by 6 3/4 lengths in Sunday’s $200,000 Forward Gal (Grade 2). She was ridden by John Velazquez and ran seven furlongs in a fast 1:21.94.