Don't really know what that red ooze is, but if it's not rotting and already showing signs of roots forming it should be fine. You should have probably let the cuttings dry/ heal/ form a scaffold, then plant. But that isn't always necessary. Once they are well rooted and start growing they will really take off. If you want fruit faster build a trellis or a Vietnamese T-tree(most common way they are grown), if not you can let them climb tree stomps/ dead tree , but with this method they won't likely fruit till they reach the top and hang over.

Thanks for the picture! That's exactly how I want to train the dragon fruit. I didn't know that having that way actually made it flower earlier. That is cool.
It is already rooting so maybe the rooting hormone and the juice of the cutting mixed and caused the redness. I'll watch it and hopefully it will be OK. Thanks.
Z