After a break of almost three months, Carry Back returned to win an allowance race at Atlantic City and then won the Jerome Handicap at Belmont on 2 September, producing his familiar stretch drive to win a "nerve-tingling battle" by a head from Garwol, with Sherluck unplaced. He was then beaten in the United Nations Handicap, the Woodward Stakes (third to Kelso) and the Lawrence Realization Stakes, leading to speculation that he had not fully recovered from his summer injury. One respected New York expert described Price as a "butcher" for persevering with the colt. On October 28, however, Carry Back returned to the winner's circle with a victory in the $75,000 Trenton Handicap at Garden State Park. Sellers brought the colt through from sixth place to defeat Intentionally and Ambiopoise, and then survived a protest from Ambiopoise's rider Bill Hartack before the result was confirmed. In November, Price announced that the colt would not run again in 1961 and that tax bills were forcing him to sell a 49% share in the horse to a syndicate.