Red Lipstick to Run Her First Race of Year

Red Lipstick, who began her career by winning her first four starts as a 2-year-old, will make her first appearance of 2003 in tonight’s $15,000 Oceanside Handicap.

The 350-yard race drew five other 3-year-old fillies: Proud Mellenna, Magic And Rhythm, Lili Call Me, Royalclassic Express and Traffic Reporter.

Owned by Vinewood Farms and trained by Mike Howell, Red Lipstick broke her maiden at 28-1 last April 12, then won two futurity trials and an allowance race before ending 2002 with three consecutive defeats.

Idle since Oct. 19, the Corona Cartel filly will have a new rider. Joe Badilla Jr. replaces Steve Fuller.

Proud Mellenna, who won two of her first three races, was compromised by a bad start in her last race and could rebound for trainer Paul Jones.

The picks: 1. Bluegrass Blurr. 2. Marotta. 3. Paraswap. 4. Delusively. 5. Trebuchet. 6. Wilyacrossmyvalle. 7. Quanah Cartel. 8. Available Credit. 9. Proud Mellenna. 10. Pritzi Too.

Four! Use Kenricia and Bluegrass Blurr in the first, Marotta and Triple Quick Dash in the second, single Paraswap in the third and all in the fourth.

Shots in the dark: Bank On Slew will debut in the sixth for trainer Chuck Treece. Ease Past Sister should improve in her second after a layoff for trainer Donna McArthur in the seventh.

Post time: 6:30 p.m.

On the Net: For entries and results from Los Alamitos, visit: www.latimes.com/horseracing/