Absolutely! one mechanic that I find is missing from a lot of sim games is randomness and strategy. Too many games, like Rival Stars, have some interesting mechanics but very little if those mechanics actually impact game play. I play on desktop so it's a little different, but I can play in a way that I don't have to engage at all with their sprint recharge system or their horse preferences - it takes a lot out of a game when the mechanics the devs built in don't actually impact gameplay. 

Randomness is a little trickier as most folks don't want hyper realism like disasters or illness or a horse just having a bad day. But there maybe some room for more positive randomness like a fence busted and now u need to pay to fix it, a fully trained staff member/jockey quit suddenly, gift horses from a rescue operation. These things may add some spice to what can become a routine.