SEC Form 4

FORM 4		UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION Washington, D.C. 20549 STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP Filed pursuant to Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 or Section 30(h) of the Investment Company Act of 1940	OMB APPROVAL OMB Number: 3235-0287 Estimated average burden hours per response: 0.5
	Check this box if no longer subject to Section 16. Form 4 or Form 5 obligations may continue. See Instruction 1(b).

1. Name and Address of Reporting Person* Athene Group Ltd (Last) (First) (Middle) C/O WALKER CORPORATE SERVICES LIMITED WALKER HOUSE, 87 MARY STREET (Street) GEORGE TOWN E9 KY1-9005 (City) (State) (Zip)	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)
	3. Date of Earliest Transaction (Month/Day/Year) 08/07/2012
	4. If Amendment, Date of 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

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)
			Code	V	Amount	(A) or (D)	Price
Common Stock	08/07/2012		S		43,673	D	$16.7806(1)	2,815,772(3)	I	See footnote(3)
Common Stock	08/09/2012		S		11,209	D	$16.75(2)	2,804,563(3)	I	See footnote(3)

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 Securities Underlying Derivative Security (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: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 4)	11. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 4)
				Code	V	(A)	(D)	Date Exercisable	Expiration Date	Title	Amount or Number of Shares

1. Name and Address of Reporting Person* Athene Group Ltd (Last) (First) (Middle) C/O WALKER CORPORATE SERVICES LIMITED WALKER HOUSE, 87 MARY STREET (Street) GEORGE TOWN E9 KY1-9005 (City) (State) (Zip) Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer Director X 10% Owner Officer (give title below) Other (specify below)

1. Name and Address of Reporting Person* ATHENE ANNUITY & LIFE ASSURANCE Co (Last) (First) (Middle) PO BOX 19043 (Street) GREENVILLE SC 29602-9043 (City) (State) (Zip) Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer Director X 10% Owner Officer (give title below) Other (specify below)

1. Name and Address of Reporting Person* Athene Asset Management LLC (Last) (First) (Middle) 818 MANHATTAN BEACH BLVD SUITE 100 (Street) MANHATTAN BEACH CA 90266 (City) (State) (Zip) Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer Director X 10% Owner Officer (give title below) Other (specify below)

1. Name and Address of Reporting Person* Apollo Life Asset Ltd. (Last) (First) (Middle) C/O WALKER CORPORATE SERVICES LIMITED WALKER HOUSE, 87 MARY STREET (Street) GEORGE TOWN E9 KY1-9005 (City) (State) (Zip) Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer Director X 10% Owner Officer (give title below) Other (specify below)

1. Name and Address of Reporting Person* Apollo Capital Management, L.P. (Last) (First) (Middle) 9 WEST 57TH STREET (Street) NEW YORK NY 10019 (City) (State) (Zip) Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer Director X 10% Owner Officer (give title below) Other (specify below)

1. Name and Address of Reporting Person* Apollo Capital Management GP, LLC (Last) (First) (Middle) 9 WEST 57TH STREET (Street) NEW YORK NY 10019 (City) (State) (Zip) Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer Director X 10% Owner Officer (give title below) Other (specify below)

1. Name and Address of Reporting Person* Apollo Management Holdings, L.P. (Last) (First) (Middle) 9 W. 57TH STREET - (Street) NEW YORK NY 10019 (City) (State) (Zip) Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer Director X 10% Owner Officer (give title below) Other (specify below)

1. Name and Address of Reporting Person* Apollo Management Holdings GP, LLC (Last) (First) (Middle) 9 W. 57TH STREET 43RD FLOOR (Street) NEW YORK NY 10019 (City) (State) (Zip) Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer Director X 10% Owner Officer (give title below) Other (specify below)

1. Name and Address of Reporting Person* Athene Holding Ltd (Last) (First) (Middle) 96 PITTS BAY ROAD (Street) PEMBROKE D0 HM08 (City) (State) (Zip) Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer Director X 10% Owner Officer (give title below) Other (specify below)

Explanation of Responses:

1. See Exhibit 99.1.

2. See Exhibit 99.1.

3. See Exhibit 99.1.

	[see signatures attached as Exhibit 99.2]	08/09/2012
	** Signature of Reporting Person	Date
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