EDMONTON, Alberta - While the Canadian Derby is the main event Saturday at Northlands Park, the Westerner Handicap and City of Edmonton Distaff each provide interesting sidelights for local racing fans.

In the $35,000 Westerner, for 3-year-olds and up at 1 5/16 miles, the story line is as much about who won't be running as it is about who will compete.

As expected, trainer Ron K. Smith will offer up an entry of Tyko Tycoon and Run Joey Run, who will be joined by last year's Canadian Derby winner, Scotman.

VANCOUVER, British Columbia - Stakes races are commonly named after a retired or deceased horse. But Saturday's $50,000 Free Vacation Stakes is named for a mare who is still running, and her breeders have put up part of the purse.

The Free Vacation, for 3-year-old fillies, is one of two stakes being run Saturday at Hastings Park. The other is the $35,000 Senate Appointee for fillies and mares. Both races are at 1 1/16 miles.

The breeders of Free Vacation, Bill and Susan Stewart of Black Canyon Thoroughbreds, have contributed $20,000 to the Free Vacation purse.

ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Trainer Bobby Barnett has never been to Woodbine, but he's hoping to make his first trip a memorable one as he'll be on hand Saturday to saddle Inkatha, the 7-year-old gelding whom he trains for owner Gene Smith, in Saturday's Play the King Handicap.

"I'm really looking forward to it," said Barnett, who currently is based at Churchill Downs but racing at Ellis Park. "I've heard about it for years, but this will be the first horse we've run there."

ETOBICOKE Ontario - Wake at Noon, Woodbine's top sprinter on dirt, is set test his prowess on turf in Saturday's $146,000 Play the King Handicap, a prep for the Grade 1 Atto Mile.

Wake at Noon is coupled in the Bruno Schickedanz-owned entry with Tempered Appeal, but trainer Abraham Katryan hinted Wednesday that he will run only one of them in the seven-furlong dash.

SALEM, N.H. - Pic a Lil, who for the past three years has been one of the mainstays of New England racing, was involved in an accident at the barn earlier this month that nearly cost her her life, and put an end to her racing career.

"She was feeling good under the shed row" said George Handy, who trained her throughout her career. "Something startled her, she jumped around and stepped on a fan. The fan short-circuited and shocked her.

EDMONTON, Alberta - Eastern Canadian invader Stage Classic looks to add another western derby to his laurels when he faces six foes in the Canadian Derby at Northlands Park on Saturday. The Grade 3 Canadian Derby, at 1 3/8 miles, is worth $150,000.

Woodbine-based Stage Classic, winner of the Manitoba Derby at Assiniboia Downs on Aug. 6, will be ridden by Constant Montpellier

DEL MAR, Calif.-Thursday's eight-race program at Del Mar features a pick six carryover of $139,783 after the bet was untouched on Wednesday.

The winner of Wednesday's pick six races were High Demand ($5), Billary's Syns ($35), Miss Bank Robin ($6), Full o' Glee ($73), Covincing ($28.40) and The Count ($).

Here are the scratches and changes in Thursday's pick six. In the third leg, Somis Cafe, Ft. Washington, Natural Attraction and Road Test are scratched from a maiden race over 5 1/2 furlongs for $35,000 to $40,000 claimers. The

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - There are two schools of thought regarding Point Given entering Saturday's $1 million Travers Stakes at Saratoga.

One theory is that Point Given's hard-fought, half-length victory showed an air of vulnerability that did not exist in his dominant victories in the Preakness and Belmont Stakes. The second theory maintains if Point Given was ever ripe to lose, the Haskell was the race.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - Beautiful Pleasure has won the past two runnings of the Personal Ensign, but losses in both of her starts this year suggest she may not be able to pull off a three-peat on Friday at Saratoga.

The Eclipse Award-winning filly or mare two years ago, Beautiful Pleasure looks vulnerable as she meets six other fillies and mares in the $400,000 Personal Ensign, a Grade 1 handicap at 1 1/4 miles.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - The $1 million Travers is the feast on Saturday at Saratoga, but the undercard stakes are by no means leftovers.

Entries were taken Wednesday for both the $200,000 King's Bishop, a Grade 1 for 3-year-olds at seven furlongs, and the $200,000 Fourstardave, a Grade 2 handicap for grass runners.

The likely favorite in the eight-horse King's Bishop is Saratoga specialist City Zip, undefeated in four stakes at the Spa, including his latest win in the Grade 2 Amsterdam on Aug. 3.