‘Simpsons’ Creator Sam Simon Rescues Injured Racehorse

As the producer of “The Simpsons,” “Cheers,” and “The Drew Carey Show,” Sam Simon is a real American success story. However, he is not just a Hollywood mogul; he is one of many big names using his star power for good to help both animals and people.

Back in 2011, Simon funded a mobile food bank for families of unemployed workers and, in 2012, he purchased a ship for Sea Shepherd Conservation Society to aid the team in its whaling intervention program. He also founded the Sam Simon Foundation, which helps rescue homeless shelter dogs and trains them to become service dogs for military veterans and the hard-of-hearing.

Carrying on with his mission to do good, Simon recently revealed his “secret” rescue of a male racehorse named Valediction.

Valediction’s plight first came to light through PETA’s four-month long undercover investigation of Steve Asmussen, one of the world’s most successful trainers in the horse racing industry. The investigation unearthed repeated overuse and misuse of drugs and other cruel means to force horses to run and train through injuries.

“While bathing [Valediction] one morning, PETA’s investigator saw several dozen round, white scars on his forelegs that were dime-sized and evenly spaced. They were the telltale signs of freeze firing, a painful mutilation that involves burning horses with liquid nitrogen to stimulate blood flow to an injury. She had also witnessed Valediction’s knees repeatedly being injected. Both were signs that he was likely suffering from chronic injuries,” PETA writes.

After watching PETA’s investigation video and learning about Valediction, Simon set plans in place to free him from his misery.

“It was immediately clear the horse was in deep trouble,” said Simon. “He had been run on bad legs to start with and had clearly been injured during the race and had stood there shaking, unable to put weight on his feet.”

When Valediction was sent away to animal rehabilitation hospital following a front leg injury, Simon’s front man stepped in to initiate the rescue by offering Simon’s $60,000 to buy the horse from his new owner.

Once Valediction was rescued, he was immediately taken to a veterinarian who discovered that he was already “so plagued by arthritis” at only five years old.

But, thanks to Simon’s caring heart, Valediction will only know love and compassion from now on.

As PETA reports, “Valediction is now enjoying retirement at a beautiful farm in Virginia owned by other PETA supporters, and he will never be forced to run for his life again.”

All Images: Leigh Vogel/PETA