1/31/2012 - As most know we have been reviewing the race engine to see where it can be improved. We will be pushing out an update to the free track (PEN, free races only) for races on and after Feb 9th. It will then be pushed out to all other tracks for races on and after Feb 13th.
The main focus of the update will be to try and address tight fields. This will be done primarily by making jockeys more aggressive in pace decisions. We believe this will also improve the overall racing feel.
This update will not directly address the number of dead heats occurring. With jockeys making more aggressive pace decisions the fields should natuarlly spread out more which should lessen the number of dead heats but we do not believe the number will be brought into alignment with how many occur in real life until the finishing accuracy is defined more closely than the current one hundredth of a second.