On August 8 at Saratoga Race Course, Carry Back made his first appearance in a specially arranged training match against the 1963 Kentucky Derby winner Chateaugay. Although Carry Back was beaten five lengths, Price claimed that he was "not too disappointed" by the performance. In his first competitive race, he finished second to Gushing Wind in the Buckeye Handicap at Randall Park two weeks later. The comeback appeared to have ended shortly afterwards when Carry Back sustained an injury (described as "a chip in the sesamoid bone of his left ankle") when warming up for the Washington Handicap at Arlington Park. Price announced that the horse would be returned to stud but X-rays revealed that the injury was much less serious than first thought.