As a three-year-old colt in 1957 leading up to the Kentucky Derby, Iron Liege and his more highly regarded stablemate Gen. Duke sometimes ran coupled.
Future Hall of Fame jockey Bill Hartack, who was Gen. Duke's regular rider, was assigned to ride Iron Liege in the Derby.
In the Derby, Iron Liege took the lead over pacesetter Federal Hill but encountered a fast-charging Gallant Man in deep stretch.
Iron Liege held off Gallant Man and won by a nose in a driving finish, with Round Table third and Bold Ruler fourth.
[3] After first blaming his actions on a bad step by Gallant Man, Shoemaker admitted that he misjudged the +1⁄16 mile pole as the finish line, and he was suspended for 15 days by the Churchill Downs stewards for "gross carelessness".