Ownership Submission
FORM 3
 UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549

INITIAL STATEMENT OF 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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(Print or Type Responses)
1. Name and Address of Reporting Person *
  Athene Group Ltd
 2. Date of Event Requiring Statement (Month/Day/Year)
07/29/2011		 3. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol
Apollo Commercial Real Estate Finance, Inc. [ARI]
(Last)
(First)
(Middle)
C/O WALKER CORPORATE SERVICES LIMITED, WALKER HOUSE		 4. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer
(Check all applicable)
_____ Director __X__ 10% Owner
_____ Officer (give title below) _____ Other (specify below)
5. If Amendment, Date Original Filed(Month/Day/Year)
(Street)

GEORGE TOWN, E9 KY1-9005		 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 Beneficially Owned
1.Title of Security
(Instr. 4)		 2. Amount of Securities Beneficially Owned
(Instr. 4)		 3. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I)
(Instr. 5)		 4. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership
(Instr. 5)
Common Stock 3,253,500
I
See footnote (1)

Reminder: Report on a separate line for each class of securities beneficially owned directly or indirectly. SEC 1473 (7-02)
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Table II - Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned (e.g., puts, calls, warrants, options, convertible securities)
1. Title of Derivative Security
(Instr. 4)		 2. Date Exercisable and Expiration Date
(Month/Day/Year)		 3. Title and Amount of Securities Underlying Derivative Security
(Instr. 4)		 4. Conversion or Exercise Price of Derivative Security 5. Ownership Form of Derivative Security: Direct (D) or Indirect (I)
(Instr. 5)		 6. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership
(Instr. 5)
Date Exercisable Expiration Date Title Amount or Number of Shares

Reporting Owners

Reporting Owner Name / Address Relationships
Director 10% Owner Officer Other
Athene Group Ltd
C/O WALKER CORPORATE SERVICES LIMITED
WALKER HOUSE
GEORGE TOWN, E9 KY1-9005		     X    
INVESTORS INSURANCE CORP
C/O WALKER CORPORATE SERVICES LIMITED
WALKER HOUSE
GEORGE TOWN, E9 KY1-9005		     X    
Athene Holding Ltd
C/O WALKER CORPORATE SERVICES LIMITED
WALKER HOUSE
GEORGE TOWN, E9 KY1-9005		     X    
LIBERTY LIFE INSURANCE CO
C/O WALKER CORPORATE SERVICES LIMITED
WALKER HOUSE
GEORGE TOWN, E9 KY1-9005		     X    
Athene Asset Management LLC
C/O WALKER CORPORATE SERVICES LIMITED
WALKER HOUSE
GEORGE TOWN, E9 KY1-9005		     X    
Apollo Life Asset Ltd.
C/O WALKER CORPORATE SERVICES LIMITED
WALKER HOUSE
GEORGE TOWN, E9 KY1-9005		     X    
Apollo Management Holdings, L.P.
C/O WALKER CORPORATE SERVICES LIMITED
WALKER HOUSE
GEORGE TOWN, E9 KY1-9005		     X    
Apollo Management Holdings GP, LLC
C/O WALKER CORPORATE SERVICES LIMITED
WALKER HOUSE
GEORGE TOWN, E9 KY1-9005		     X    
Apollo Capital Management, L.P.
C/O WALKER CORPORATE SERVICES LIMITED
WALKER HOUSE
GEORGE TOWN, E9 KY1-9005		     X    
Apollo Capital Management GP, LLC
C/O WALKER CORPORATE SERVICES LIMITED
WALKER HOUSE
GEORGE TOWN, E9 KY1-9005		     X    

Signatures

See signatures attached as Exhibit 99.2 08/08/2011
**Signature of Reporting Person Date

Explanation of Responses:

* If the form is filed by more than one reporting person, see Instruction 5(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.

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