Edgar Filing: Apollo Commercial Real Estate Finance, Inc.

Ownership Submission

FORM 4

Check this box if no longer subject to Section 16. Form 4 or Form 5 obligations may continue. See Instruction 1(b).

UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP OF SECURITIES

Filed pursuant to Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, Section 17(a) of the Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935 or Section 30(h) of the Investment Company Act of 1940

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3235-0287

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(Print or Type Responses)

1. Name and Address of Reporting Person ^*

Athene Group Ltd

2. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol
Apollo Commercial Real Estate Finance, Inc. [ARI]

5. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer
(Check all applicable)

_____ Director	__X__ 10% Owner
_____ Officer (give title below)	_____ Other (specify below)

(Last)

(First)

(Middle)

C/O WALKER CORPORATE SERVICES LIMITED, WALKER HOUSE, 87 MARY STREET

3. Date of Earliest Transaction (Month/Day/Year)
07/25/2012

(Street)

GEORGE TOWN, E9 KY1-9005

4. If Amendment, Date Original Filed(Month/Day/Year)

6. Individual or Joint/Group Filing(Check Applicable Line)
___ Form filed by One Reporting Person
_X_ Form filed by More than One Reporting Person

(City)

(State)

(Zip)

Table I - Non-Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned

1.Title of Security (Instr. 3)	2. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year)	2A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year)	3. Transaction Code (Instr. 8)		4. Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D) (Instr. 3, 4 and 5)			5. Amount of Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s) (Instr. 3 and 4)	6. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 4)	7. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 4)
1.Title of Security (Instr. 3)	2. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year)	2A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year)	Code	V	Amount	(A) or (D)	Price		6. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 4)	7. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 4)
Common Stock	07/25/2012		S		25,721	D	$ 16.747 ⁽¹⁾	3,079,302 ⁽⁴⁾	I	See footnote (4)
Common Stock	07/26/2012		S		24,683	D	$ 16.7272 ⁽²⁾	3,054,619 ⁽⁴⁾	I	See footnote (4)
Common Stock	07/27/2012		S		44,026	D	$ 16.7913 ⁽³⁾	3,010,593 ⁽⁴⁾	I	See footnote (4)

Reminder: Report on a separate line for each class of securities beneficially owned directly or indirectly.
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Table II - Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned
(e.g., puts, calls, warrants, options, convertible securities)

1. Title of Derivative Security
(Instr. 3)

2. Conversion or Exercise Price of Derivative Security

3. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year)

3A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year)

4. Transaction Code
(Instr. 8)

5. Number of Derivative Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D)
(Instr. 3, 4, and 5)

6. Date Exercisable and Expiration Date
(Month/Day/Year)

7. Title and Amount of Underlying Securities
(Instr. 3 and 4)

8. Price of Derivative Security
(Instr. 5)

9. Number of Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s)
(Instr. 4)

10. Ownership Form of Derivative Security: Direct (D) or Indirect (I)
(Instr. 4)

11. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership
(Instr. 4)

Code

(A)

(D)

Date Exercisable

Expiration Date

Title

Amount or Number of Shares

Reporting Owners

Reporting Owner Name / Address	Relationships
Reporting Owner Name / Address	Director	10% Owner	Officer	Other
Athene Group Ltd C/O WALKER CORPORATE SERVICES LIMITED WALKER HOUSE, 87 MARY STREET GEORGE TOWN, E9 KY1-9005		X
ATHENE ANNUITY & LIFE ASSURANCE Co PO BOX 19043 GREENVILLE, SC 29602-9043		X
Athene Asset Management LLC 818 MANHATTAN BEACH BLVD SUITE 100 MANHATTAN BEACH, CA 90266		X
Apollo Life Asset Ltd. C/O WALKER CORPORATE SERVICES LIMITED WALKER HOUSE, 87 MARY STREET GEORGE TOWN, E9 KY1-9005		X
Apollo Capital Management, L.P. 9 WEST 57TH STREET NEW YORK, NY 10019		X
Apollo Capital Management GP, LLC 9 WEST 57TH STREET NEW YORK, NY 10019		X
Apollo Management Holdings, L.P. 9 W. 57TH STREET - NEW YORK, NY 10019		X
Apollo Management Holdings GP, LLC 9 W. 57TH STREET 43RD FLOOR NEW YORK, NY 10019		X
Athene Holding Ltd 96 PITTS BAY ROAD PEMBROKE, D0 HM08		X

Signatures

[see signatures attached as Exhibit 99.2]		07/27/2012
^**Signature of Reporting Person		Date

Explanation of Responses:

*	If the form is filed by more than one reporting person, see Instruction 4(b)(v).
**	Intentional misstatements or omissions of facts constitute Federal Criminal Violations. See 18 U.S.C. 1001 and 15 U.S.C. 78ff(a).
(1)	See Exhibit 99.1.
(2)	See Exhibit 99.1.
(3)	See Exhibit 99.1.
(4)	See Exhibit 99.1.

Note: File three copies of this Form, one of which must be manually signed. If space is insufficient, see Instruction 6 for procedure.

Potential persons who are to respond to the collection of information contained in this form are not required to respond unless the form displays a currently valid OMB number.