"Excessive" is a loose term on purpose. Whats important is:
1. Accepting the failure and not making excuses (Ex: the DPE was out to get me, my CFI never taught me that. etc...)
2. What did you learn from the failure?
3. What did you do to better yourself after the failure./ What kind of flying have you done since the failure
And of course what check rides the failure happened on.
For XJT its a moving target, they're big on what you learned versus a hard 3 strikes your out.