"My tendency would be to give a warning at least in the early stages," Grande said. "I think the rules came in effect roughly a year-and-a-half ago to give a warning to the trainer or to whoever else was responsible."

Vienna then pointed out that Blacker's first violation was the day the rule was implemented.

Grande went on to say: "The workout rule 1878 was always one where it was going to be a lot to chew on and take a lot more manpower to … if we were going to try and enforce every single horse."

Vienna asked Grande: "Do you believe that but for the delay of the CHRB enforcing CHRB rule 1878 against Mr. Blacker that it is highly unlikely that he would have accumulated hundreds of violations?"

"I would agree with that," Grande said.

Blea, when asked how a trainer could accumulate 526 infractions before one was caught, said: "I can't explain that."

Still, the CHRB might argue that it's a trainer's responsibility to know all the rules, regardless of enforcement.

"Plus, there is a rule in the rules that says the licensee should know the rules," Blea told The Times last year. Blea also said trainers received several notices about the change in the rule that required checks within 72 hours before a workout.

The ruling by the stewards was made Sunday and posted on the CHRB website Monday. Blacker was seen in a photo posted on X by Sheikh Fahad Al-Thani, a horse racing owner, at the Super Bowl on Sunday when the ruling was issued.

Blacker's wife, Christina, is an anchor and commentator on the horse racing and betting network FanDuel TV. A network spokesman said it would treat the suspension no differently than if it happened to any other trainer and mention it if appropriate.

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