Haffarth: Lo Duca now catching tips at track

The Run for the Pete Roses…

“Paul’s a student of the game,” trainer Doug O’Neill said. “He’s constantly diving into other ends of the sport, breeding and buying young horses. He puts plenty of effort into it.”

Lo Duca’s love for this sport parallels a bit to the 37-year-old’s bid to find a trainer who can get him into contention for one last run at a big-league catching job as he recovers from a broken hand.

“I’ve had a lot of people come up to me say, `You’re good, we like watching you,’ so that’s really cool,” said Lo Duca, who split limited playing time with Washington and Florida in 2008 and is living these days on Long Island with his new bride. “It’s really a different dynamic. Then, you’re playing baseball. The fans may not like you but they’ll say hi. Here at TVG, it’s really a status thing.

“I’m a comfort-level guy, and if I’m out of my element, I get into panic mode. But face it - I’m a gambler and I know the horses. I wouldn’t be doing this if I didn’t have knowledge. The sport is fascinating, and there’s so many similarities with the competition. It’s neat to do this. Every time I go to the track, it doesn’t feel like I’m working.”