Continuity mistake: In the race for the $100,000 purse (that Rosemont wins), just after Seabiscuit takes the lead, there's a closeup of Seabiscuit's head and Pollard's right leg - Pollard is wearing the brace he made later in the movie after his leg was shattered. Obviously, the shot was taken from those filmed for the Santa Anita race later in the film. (01:17:40)
Continuity mistake: When Seabiscuit races War Admiral he has a white snip on his nose and no white markings on his feet, but in the final race of the movie there is no white snip on his nose and that horse has white socks (coloring) on his front feet. (01:43:45 - 02:09:55)
Continuity mistake: Early in the movie when Seabiscuit is shown getting "whipped as many times as possible" to break him, he is being whipped on the right side. Later, Red tells Wolfe prior to the match race not to whip him on the left side because that was where he was whipped as a baby.
Continuity mistake: In Seabiscuit's first race under Pollard, at the start the announcer says, "Pirate Cove breaks first with Geronimo on the outside. Silver Treasure is third followed by Seabiscuit." But when it cuts to Seabiscuit, there are six horses in front of him, placing Seabiscuit seventh. Seabiscuit would have to be barely moving to lose that much ground that fast.
Continuity mistake: In the scene where everyone is waiting for Red to get out of surgery, a nurse walks by with a stethoscope around her neck. This is a mistake for a couple of reasons. Number 1, it is a modern style Littman stethoscope that wasn't used until the 1970's. The old stethoscopes of the 30's look really different than they do now. Also, back then, nurses didn't routinely carry stethoscopes like they do these days to do assessments.
Continuity mistake: When Tick Tock McGlaughlin watches Seabiscuit being prepared for racing again he pretends to be reading a newspaper. When Charles and Tom talk to him he is holding the newspaper open with both hands, but at the end of the conversation he is suddenly holding the folded newspaper in one hand. (01:54:15)
Continuity mistake: In the first of Red's boxing fights he gets very badly hit on his right eye. When he is leaning against the ropes blood is running down his cheek, but when he turns around the lower part of his cheek is clean. (00:25:25)
Continuity mistake: In the movie, War Admiral is described as standing 18 hands tall, compared to Seabiscuit's 15.2 hands. Although this is not historically correct (according to contemporary sources, both horses stood around 15.2 hands) the size disparity created by the movie is not carried on in the match race, where the two horses appear to be the same size.
Continuity mistake: Before the race at Pimlico a crowd of reporters is waiting at the stable window for Seabiscuit to be worked out. The way they are leaning in the window sill varies greatly between close-up and a wide angle that shows them and Tom. (01:26:50)
Continuity mistake: When Charles gives Red $20 with his left hand he is holding a newspaper under his right arm. The camera angle changes that we see Charles' upper body from behind, he puts his right hand on Red's shoulder, and when we see the whole Charles again the newspaper has disappeared. (01:04:00)
Continuity mistake: When all the protagonists are sitting on one bench in church Red has a big smile on his face. When the camera angle changes to a close-up his smile is completely gone. (00:55:10)
Continuity mistake: After the death of his son we see Charles sitting in an armchair playing with the small marble game. The way he is holding the game changes back and forth between shots. (00:22:50)
Continuity mistake: After the car race into the mountains Charles gives a speech. When a photographer takes a picture a huge cloud arises from the flashlight and drifts over to Charles. However, in the next two shots the cloud is gone, but in the third shot it's back again. (00:07:55)
Continuity mistake: Before his first race after his accident Red puts a leather brace on the injured leg. He ties it in front, but when he walks over to Seabiscuit the brace is tied on the side. (01:59:20)
Continuity mistake: When the protagonists listen to Mr. Riddle on the radio Tom's hand covers his mouth. When the camera angle changes he is holding his arm over his stomach. (01:12:45)
Continuity mistake: When Red is telling the new jockey all about Seabiscuit's peculiarities, he tells the jockey not to use the crop on the left because a previous trainer had beaten him on that side. Earlierwhen the horse was working with that trainer, they show him being beaten on the right side.
Continuity mistake: Before the match race between Seabiscuit and War Admiral, Charles and Mr. Riddle take their seats. They exchange a few words, then Riddle turns away to talk to his seat neighbor, but when the camera cuts to Charles we see Riddle in the background still looking at him as he did before. (01:37:20)
Continuity mistake: When Chris Cooper is standing next to the barbed wire fence at the beginning of the film and he puts his finger on it, the positioning of his hand is different from the wide shot to the close up. (00:07:25)
Answer: Red asked for $10 because he needed to see a dentist, and Howard gave him $20.